Effects of a 4-week Acu-Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (Acu-TENS) Program on Subjects With Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Treatments: Device: Acu-TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00971490

CRE-2007.158-T

Details and patient eligibility

About

The objectives of this study are to investigate the effectiveness of Acu-TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation applied on acupoints) on lung functions and quality of life and to explore the associated underlying mechanisms in subjects with COPD.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• clinical diagnosis with COPD

Exclusion criteria

• allergic to gel
• unable to perform spirometry
• unable to communicate
• no history of infection or exacerbation of respiratory symptoms

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Quadruple Blind

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30 participants in 3 patient groups, including a placebo group

Group 1

Experimental group

Treatment:

Device: Acu-TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)

Group 2

Placebo Comparator group

Treatment:

Device: Acu-TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)

Group 3

Sham Comparator group

Treatment:

Device: Acu-TENS (Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation)