Auricular Acupuncture in Substance Abuse: Effects on Anxiety, Sleep, Drug Use.

Örebro Läns Landsting

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 2

Conditions: Anxiety; Substance Abuse; Sleep

Treatments: Device: LP acupuncture; Device: NADA Acupuncture; Behavioral: Relaxation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02604706

11

Details and patient eligibility

About

Background. A common alternative treatment for substance abuse is ear acupuncture. The aim of the study was to evaluate the short and long-term effect of auricular acupuncture on anxiety, sleep, drug use and addiction treatment utilization in adults with substance abuse. Method. Adults with substance abuse and psychiatric comorbidity were randomly assigned to either of two variants of auricular acupuncture - The National Acupuncture Detoxification Association protocol (NADA) or a local protocol (LP) - or relaxation training (controls). Primary outcomes were measured using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) with assessment before treatment and follow-ups after five weeks and three months. Secondary outcomes were drug use and addiction service utilization.

Enrollment: 280 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 65 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Ongoing patients status at the clinic.

Exclusion criteria

• Nickel-allergy
• Ear infection
• Heart disease

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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280 participants in 3 patient groups

NADA Acupuncture

Experimental group

Description:

NADA-acupuncture was delivered in three phases: (1) one treatment each day during the first of a total of five weeks; (2) three treatments each week during the following two weeks; (3) two treatments each week during the two remaining weeks. each session consisted of approximately 40 minutes with acupuncture at five ear points called Sympathetic, Shen Men, Kidney, Liver and Lung, which are believed to be the best points for substance abuse patients. Acupuncture was administered to both ears using stainless steel needles. NADA-acupuncture were given as a supplement to treatment as usual consisting of Motivational Interview, pharmacological treatment, and control of drug use with urine tests.

Treatment:

Device: NADA Acupuncture

LP Acupuncture

Experimental group

Description:

The LP-acupuncture was delivered in two phases: (1) three treatments each week during the two first weeks; (2) two treatments each week for two weeks. each session consisted of approximately 40 minutes with acupuncture at five ear points called Sympathetic, Shen Men, Kidney, Liver and Lung, which are believed to be the best points for substance abuse patients. Acupuncture was administered to both ears using stainless steel needles. BC-acupuncture were given as a supplement to treatment as usual consisting of Motivational Interview, pharmacological treatment, and control of drug use with urine tests.

Treatment:

Device: LP acupuncture

Relaxation

Active Comparator group

Description:

Relaxation consisted of listening to soft music in a quiet room with dampened light and was delivered to match the amount and phases of the LP-acupuncture. Relaxation were given as a supplement to treatment as usual consisting of Motivational Interview, pharmacological treatment, and control of drug use with urine tests.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Relaxation