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Laser Acupuncture on Dry Eye and Sjögren's Syndrome-related Dry Eye Symptoms (LADESJS)

T

Taipei Veterans General Hospital

Status and phase

Enrolling
Phase 2

Conditions

Dry Eye Syndrome (DES)
Sjögren's Syndrome (SS)
Laser Acupuncture

Treatments

Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) heart rate variability analysis
Diagnostic Test: Schirmer's test
Diagnostic Test: EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI)
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pulse diagnosis
Other: Laser acupuncture (LA)
Other: Sham Laser Acupuncture
Diagnostic Test: nailfold microcirculation assessment
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution questionnaire
Diagnostic Test: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI)
Diagnostic Test: iris examination
Diagnostic Test: Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT06780293
2024-11-008C

Details and patient eligibility

About

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of adding laser acupuncture at Fengchi (GB20), Zanzhu (BL2), Hegu (LI4), and Quchi (LI11) acupoints to standard care for the treatment of dry eye symptoms in both Sjögren's Syndrome-related dry eye (SJS-DES) and non-Sjögren's Syndrome-related dry eye (Non-SJS-DES) populations. A total of 140 dry eye patients will be recruited and divided into two groups: 70 participants with SJS-DES and 70 with Non-SJS-DES. Participants will be randomly assigned into three groups: Sham+LA group (60 participants receiving 4 weeks of placebo laser acupuncture followed by 4 weeks of active laser acupuncture), LA+LA group (60 participants receiving 4 weeks of active laser acupuncture followed by another 4 weeks of active laser acupuncture), and a Waiting List group (20 participants receiving no laser acupuncture treatment). Each session will target the Fengchi (GB20), Zanzhu (BL2), Hegu (LI4), and Quchi (LI11) acupoints bilaterally, performed twice a week. The total study period is 8 weeks, and the treatment efficacy will be assessed at the end of the 8-week treatment. The Waiting List group (20 participants) will not receive any laser acupuncture treatment during this period. Efficacy will be evaluated using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Schirmer's test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis, TCM pulse diagnosis, TCM constitution questionnaire, TCM heart rate variability analysis, nailfold microcirculation assessment, and iris examination. This study aims to investigate the impact of laser acupuncture on dry eye symptom improvement and the potential markers that differentiate between SJS-DES and Non-SJS-DES patients. The goal is to develop a comprehensive integrated care model for early screening, diagnosis, and personalized treatment plans for Dry Eye Syndrome and Sjögren's Syndrome, achieving the ultimate objective of "Holistic Health Care."

Full description

Method: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of adding laser acupuncture at Fengchi (GB20), Zanzhu (BL2), Hegu (LI4), and Quchi (LI11) acupoints to standard care for the treatment of dry eye symptoms in both Sjögren's Syndrome-related dry eye (SJS-DES) and non-Sjögren's Syndrome-related dry eye (Non-SJS-DES) populations. A total of 140 dry eye patients will be recruited and divided into two groups: 70 participants with SJS-DES and 70 with Non-SJS-DES. Participants will be randomly assigned into three groups: Sham+LA group (60 participants receiving 4 weeks of placebo laser acupuncture followed by 4 weeks of active laser acupuncture), LA+LA group (60 participants receiving 4 weeks of active laser acupuncture followed by another 4 weeks of active laser acupuncture), and a Waiting List group (20 participants receiving no laser acupuncture treatment). Each session will target the Fengchi (GB20), Zanzhu (BL2), Hegu (LI4), and Quchi (LI11) acupoints bilaterally, performed twice a week. The total study period is 8 weeks, and the treatment efficacy will be assessed at the end of the 8-week treatment. The Waiting List group (20 participants) will not receive any laser acupuncture treatment during this period. Efficacy will be evaluated using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Schirmer's test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis, TCM pulse diagnosis, TCM constitution questionnaire, TCM heart rate variability analysis, nailfold microcirculation assessment, and iris examination. This study aims to investigate the impact of laser acupuncture on dry eye symptom improvement and the potential markers that differentiate between SJS-DES and Non-SJS-DES patients. The goal is to develop a comprehensive integrated care model for early screening, diagnosis, and personalized treatment plans for Dry Eye Syndrome and Sjögren's Syndrome, achieving the ultimate objective of "Holistic Health Care."

Expected Results:

  1. Assess the therapeutic differences between Sham+LA and LA+LA groups in the SJS-DES population.
  2. Assess the therapeutic differences between Sham+LA and LA+LA groups in the Non-SJS-DES population.
  3. Evaluate the therapeutic differences between the SJS-DES and Non-SJS-DES populations.

Keywords: Dry eye syndrome, Sjögren's syndrome, Laser Acupuncture, GB20, BL2, LI4, LI11

Enrollment

140 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

20 to 75 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

• Dry eye syndrome

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. aged between 20 and 75 years
  2. Schirmer's test less than 10 mm/5 min

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Pregnancy

  2. With eye inflammation or infectious eye disease

  3. Accepted operation of eye

    • Sjögren's syndrome

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. primary or secondary SS
  2. aged between 20 and 75 years
  3. fulfilled the 2002 American-European Consensus Criteria for SS (AECG)
  4. had no abnormal findings of immune, liver, kidney, or blood function evaluations.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. a history of alcohol abuse, diabetes mellitus, or major life-threatening condition
  2. pregnancy or breastfeeding
  3. steroid pulse therapy within three months prior to the commencement of our study.

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Quadruple Blind

140 participants in 5 patient groups

LA+LA group of SJS-DES
Experimental group
Description:
LA+LA group of SJS-DES will receive laser acupuncture at acupoint GB20, BL2, LI4 and LI11 twice a week 8 weeks for efficacy evaluation. And we could use the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Schirmer's test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis, TCM pulse diagnosis, TCM constitution questionnaire, TCM heart rate variability analysis, nailfold microcirculation assessment, and iris examination for this purpose.
Treatment:
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pulse diagnosis
Diagnostic Test: Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
Diagnostic Test: iris examination
Diagnostic Test: EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI)
Diagnostic Test: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI)
Diagnostic Test: Schirmer's test
Diagnostic Test: nailfold microcirculation assessment
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) heart rate variability analysis
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution questionnaire
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis
Other: Laser acupuncture (LA)
Sham+LA group of SJS-DES
Sham Comparator group
Description:
Sham+LA group of SJS-DES will receive sham acupuncture twice a week 4 weeks and then laser acupuncture at acupoint GB20, BL2, LI4 and LI11 twice a week 4 weeks for efficacy evaluation. And we could use the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Schirmer's test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis, TCM pulse diagnosis, TCM constitution questionnaire, TCM heart rate variability analysis, nailfold microcirculation assessment, and iris examination for this purpose.
Treatment:
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pulse diagnosis
Diagnostic Test: Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
Diagnostic Test: iris examination
Diagnostic Test: EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI)
Diagnostic Test: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI)
Diagnostic Test: Schirmer's test
Diagnostic Test: nailfold microcirculation assessment
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) heart rate variability analysis
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution questionnaire
Other: Sham Laser Acupuncture
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis
Other: Laser acupuncture (LA)
LA+LA group of Non-SJS-DES
Experimental group
Description:
LA+LA group of Non-SJS-DES will receive laser acupuncture at acupoint GB20, BL2, LI4 and LI11 twice a week 8 weeks for efficacy evaluation. And we could use the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Schirmer's test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis, TCM pulse diagnosis, TCM constitution questionnaire, TCM heart rate variability analysis, nailfold microcirculation assessment, and iris examination for this purpose.
Treatment:
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pulse diagnosis
Diagnostic Test: Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
Diagnostic Test: iris examination
Diagnostic Test: EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI)
Diagnostic Test: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI)
Diagnostic Test: Schirmer's test
Diagnostic Test: nailfold microcirculation assessment
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) heart rate variability analysis
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution questionnaire
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis
Other: Laser acupuncture (LA)
Sham+LA group of Non-SJS-DES
Sham Comparator group
Description:
Sham+LA group of Non-SJS-DES will receive sham acupuncture twice a week 4 weeks and then laser acupuncture at acupoint GB20, BL2, LI4 and LI11 twice a week 4 weeks for efficacy evaluation. And we could use the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Schirmer's test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis, TCM pulse diagnosis, TCM constitution questionnaire, TCM heart rate variability analysis, nailfold microcirculation assessment, and iris examination for this purpose.
Treatment:
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pulse diagnosis
Diagnostic Test: Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
Diagnostic Test: iris examination
Diagnostic Test: EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI)
Diagnostic Test: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI)
Diagnostic Test: Schirmer's test
Diagnostic Test: nailfold microcirculation assessment
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) heart rate variability analysis
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution questionnaire
Other: Sham Laser Acupuncture
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis
Other: Laser acupuncture (LA)
Waiting list
Other group
Description:
Group Waiting list will not receive any treatment at acupoint GB20, BL2, LI4 and LI11 twice a week 8 weeks for efficacy evaluation. And we could use the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), Schirmer's test, Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis, TCM pulse diagnosis, TCM constitution questionnaire, TCM heart rate variability analysis, nailfold microcirculation assessment, and iris examination for this purpose.
Treatment:
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) pulse diagnosis
Diagnostic Test: Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)
Diagnostic Test: iris examination
Diagnostic Test: EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI)
Diagnostic Test: Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI)
Diagnostic Test: Schirmer's test
Diagnostic Test: nailfold microcirculation assessment
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) heart rate variability analysis
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) constitution questionnaire
Diagnostic Test: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) tongue diagnosis

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Central trial contact

Ching-Mao Chang, M.D., Ph.D.

Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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