Efficacy of Moxibustion Therapy With or Without Smoke for Knee Osteoarthritis
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02772055 |
Recruitment Status :
Completed
First Posted : May 13, 2016
Last Update Posted : February 17, 2020
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Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
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Pain | Other: Moxibustion Other: Moxa smoke purification device | Not Applicable |
Aim: To assess the effect of moxa smoke in the treatment using moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis.
Design: This is a multicentre, randomised, single blinded, parallel-group design clinical trial. 138 eligible participants will be randomly allocated into 2 groups (moxibustion group or smoke-free moxibustion group) with a 1:1 allocation ratio, and receive 12 sessions of moxibustion treatment over a period of 4 weeks, three sessions per week. Each session will last 30 minutes. The whole study period is 13 weeks, with a 1 week run in period, 4 week treatment phase, and 8 week follow-up phase.The participants will receive moxibustion treatment at three acupoints (EX-LE04,ST35,ST36). In moxa-free smoke moxibustion group, investigators place a purification device(Shenzhen Conyson Electronic Technology Co, Ltd,C200 moxa smoke purification device,Shenzhen,China) at the top of the moxibustion to remove the moxa smoke. The primary measurement outcomes are the mean change in the global scale value of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC) pain and function scores from baseline to 4 weeks. The secondary outcomes are the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the patient global assessment. Investigators will assess participants at the second visit (before starting moxibustion treatment) and at the 2, 4, 8, and 12 week respectively after the baseline.
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 138 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Single (Participant) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A Multicentre, Randomised, Single Blinded, Parallel-group Study of Moxa Smoke Effect in Moxibustion Treating Knee Osteoarthritis |
Actual Study Start Date : | May 2016 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | May 2019 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | December 2019 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: moxibustion group
Conventional moxibustion treatment for knee osteoarthritis participants.12 sessions of moxibustion treatment over a period of 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week.Each session will last 30 minutes.
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Other: Moxibustion
Moxibustion at three acupuncture point(EX-LE04,ST35,ST36).12 sessions of moxibustion treatment over a period of 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week.Each session will last 30 minutes. |
Experimental: smoke-free moxibustion group
Conventional moxibustion treatment for knee osteoarthritis participants and have a purification device at the top of the moxibustion to remove the moxa smoke.12 sessions of moxibustion treatment over a period of 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week.Each session will last 30 minutes.
|
Other: Moxibustion
Moxibustion at three acupuncture point(EX-LE04,ST35,ST36).12 sessions of moxibustion treatment over a period of 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week.Each session will last 30 minutes. Other: Moxa smoke purification device Investigators place a purification device(Shenzhen Conyson Electronic Technology Co, Ltd,C200 moxa smoke purification device,Shenzhen,China) at the top of the moxibustion to remove the moxa smoke. |
- Change in the global scale value of the Western Ontario and McMaster Osteoarthritis Index(WOMAC) score [ Time Frame: 4 weeks from baseline ]
- Change in the WOMAC subscales (pain, stiffness, and function) [ Time Frame: at baseline(0 week), 2 weeks, 4weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks later after allocation ]
- Mean change in Visual Analogue Scale for the pain intensity [ Time Frame: Assessing participants at baseline(0 week), 2 weeks, 4weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks later after allocation ]
- Change of Patient global assessment score [ Time Frame: at 2 weeks, 4weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks later after allocation ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 40 Years to 75 Years (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
Participants meeting the following criteria will be included:
- aged between 40 and 75 years
- diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis formulated by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).
- the average severity of knee pain not more than 7 points on a visual analogue scale for most days during the past month
- agree not have the paregoric during the whole treatment phase
- willingness to participate in a randomized study and to sign the informed consent form.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants will be excluded if they have these experiences:
- inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, traumatic injury that might be related to the current knee pai
- autoimmune disease, uncontrolled hypertension
- diabetes mellitus requiring insulin injection
- life-threatening cardiovascular or neurological events within the past year
- chronic respiratory disease,a haemorrhagic disorder
- alcohol or drug addiction
- an active infectious disease including tuberculosis
- a significant knee joint deformity
- knee replacement surgery for the affected knee
- knee arthroscopy within the past year
- steroid injection in the knee joints within the past 3 months
- injections in the knee joints or joint fluid injection within the past 6 months
- accept acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, or herbal medicine within the past 4 weeks

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02772055
China, Sichuan | |
Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine | |
Chengdu, Sichuan, China, 610075 |
Principal Investigator: | Yu Shuguang, Professor | Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine |
Responsible Party: | Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02772055 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
2015CB554504-02 |
First Posted: | May 13, 2016 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | February 17, 2020 |
Last Verified: | February 2020 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | No |
Moxa smoke Moxibustion Knee osteoarthritis |
Osteoarthritis Osteoarthritis, Knee Arthritis |
Joint Diseases Musculoskeletal Diseases Rheumatic Diseases |