Impact of Acupuncture and Manual Therapies on Patients' Quality-of-life in a Hospital-to-community Continuum

Recruiting now · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Oncology

In brief

Oncology patients often suffer during hospitalization from pain, emotional distress, gastrointestinal symptoms, weakness, and quality of life (QoL)-related concerns. A large body of research has shown that acupuncture and other integrative oncology (IO) modalities, when provided in conjunction with supportive care, can significantly address and alleviate QoL-related concerns. In the proposed study, we examine an innovative model of IO and palliative care, provided to patients with cancer during hospitalization. Oncology patients at the Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel, will be referred by hospital to IO/palliative care, specifying the patient's QoL-related concerns. After signing the informed consent form, patients will be asked to choose between IO intervention (Group A and B) or palliative nursing counseling only (Group C). Patients choosing to undergo integrative treatment will be randomly allocated to one of the two study interventions: acupressure-relaxation alone (Group A); or acupressure-relaxation modalities with acupuncture (Group B). The response to the study intervention for QoL-related concerns will be re-assessed immediately; at 24-48 hours; and after 2 weeks following the treatment. Patients will also undergo objective measurements during treatment using Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and Nociception Levels (NOL) to determine the impact of the intervention on their QoL and concerns. In summary, the proposed study will examine the short-term impact of an integrative/palliative intervention on patient QoL-related concerns, comparing acupressure-relaxation modalities with or without acupuncture, as well as to patients receiving palliative nursing counseling. Following discharge, treatments will be provided at one of six participating community IO services, over a 12-week period, in coordination with the oncology and palliative care teams in the community.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT06590766

Run by

Carmel Medical Center

People needed

520

Starts

2023-04-18

Expected to finish

2027-06-30

Last updated by the study team

2024-09-19

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 100. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Patients diagnosed with cancer, age ≥ 18 years and hospitalized in one of the six internal medicine and surgical departments in the hospital.

You may not qualify if…

• Inability to read and provide informed consent

Where it is running

• Carmel Medical center — Haifa, Israel, Israel (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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