Efficacy Study of Acupuncture on Spinal Compression Fracture

Daegu Catholic University Medical Center

Status: Completed

Conditions: Spinal Compression Fracture

Treatments: Procedure: Nerve block; Device: Acupuncture

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01913587

CIMI-13-01-21

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study is to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture for alleviating pain from Spinal Compression Fracture in Patients Treated with Nerve Block.

Full description

Spinal compression fracture is mainly caused by trauma, furthermore, in old age, osteoporosis increases the risk of spinal compression fracture. Nerve block is effective for the management of pain from inflammation or nerve root stimulation from spinal compression fracture. As one of alternative interventions, acupuncture is effective for controlling spinal compression fracture.

This study aims to investigate that combination with acupuncture and nerve block may relieve spinal compression fracture-related pain versus nerve block alone.

Enrollment: 14 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Vertebral compression fracture by trauma or osteoporosis
• Minimum 15% height loss of vertebrae
• Patient diagnosed with x-ray or computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance image (MRI)
• Visual analogue scale (VAS) score of 5 or more
• Age over 50
• 2 weeks from onset or more
• Follow-up possible during the clinical trial
• Written informed consent voluntarily

Exclusion criteria

• Within 2 weeks from onset
• Pathological fracture due to malignancy/myeloma, osteomyelitis
• Major retropulsion of bony segments into the spinal canal
• Bone metabolic disease
• Significant renal or hepatic disease
• Hypersensitive reaction to acupuncture treatment
• Senile dementia, impaired cognitive function or other cerebral disease, severe psychiatric or psychological disorders
• Alcohol/drug abuse

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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14 participants in 2 patient groups

Acupuncture & Nerve block

Experimental group

Description:

Acupuncture will be performed 3 times per week, total 9 sessions, during 3 weeks. Epidural nerve block and medial branch block will be performed once per week, total 3 sessions, during 3 weeks.

Treatment:

Device: Acupuncture

Procedure: Nerve block

Nerve block

Active Comparator group

Description:

Epidural nerve block and medial branch block will be performed once per week, total 3 sessions, during 3 weeks.

Treatment:

Procedure: Nerve block