Acupuncture for Post-Traumatic Stress in Combat Veterans

Status unconfirmed · Not applicable · Has a placebo group

Conditions studied: PTSD, Acupuncture, Combat

In brief

The objective of this study is to determine if acupuncture is an effective treatment option for treating combat Veterans with PTSD.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02871076

Run by

Southern California Institute for Research and Education

People needed

90

Starts

2018-05-19

Expected to finish

2022-03-31

Last updated by the study team

2020-04-08

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 55. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Veteran Age 18 to 55
• DSM-5 criteria for chronic PTSD on Clinical Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS-5)
• CAPS-5 score of ≥ 26 and meeting criteria for each of 4 symptoms

You may not qualify if…

• Current and past six-months psychosis
• Substance dependence within 6 months (evidence of tolerance and/or withdrawal)
• Thyroid disease
• Decisional incapacity (e.g., dementia)
• Centrally acting medications that have a potential effect on biological expression (e.g., beta-blockers, opiates, and ≥10mg equivalent of diazepam/day)
• Pain levels requiring opiate medications
• Known exposure to chemicals or physical trauma that cause neuropsychiatric sequelae
• Severe depression (Beck Depression Inventory-II score ≥30)
• A diagnosed and untreated sleep breathing disorder (SBD)
• High risk of a SBD as indicated by snoring ≥50 of nights plus one of any
• Any witnessed apnea
• Feeling non-refreshed in the morning ≥50 of mornings
• Daytime sleepiness indicated by falling asleep with routine tasks such as watching TV or reading
• Non-response to ≥2 evidence-based PTSD treatments (adequate medication of 12 weeks or completion to PE, CPT or an intensive program)
• Treatment non-adherence indicated by stopping treatment or >3 missed appointments in the course of PTSD EBT
• High dissociation as indicated by a score of ≥25 on the Dissociative Experiences Scale - II
• Past chronic PTSD prior to military service
• Current active psychotherapy for PTSD
• Having acupuncture in the past year
• Pregnancy

Where it is running

• Veterans Affairs Long Beach Healthcare System — Long Beach, California, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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