Acupuncture for endometriosis-associated infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acupuncture has been proven to improve the pregnancy rate in infertile women. Endometriosis is a common cause of infertility. So far, there are no studies of the efficacy of acupuncture on endometriosis-associated infertility (EAI). Therefore, we will conduct a randomized controlled tria...

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Main Authors: Chu-ting WU, Xiao-yan DONG, Xin-rong LI, Yang CAO, Cai-mei HUANG, Ming-yang LI, Jia-wei HU, Yuan GAO, Yu-ran LI, Huan-gan WU, Chun-yan ZHANG
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2024-04-01
Series:World Journal of Acupuncture - Moxibustion
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1003525724000102
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author Chu-ting WU
Xiao-yan DONG
Xin-rong LI
Yang CAO
Cai-mei HUANG
Ming-yang LI
Jia-wei HU
Yuan GAO
Yu-ran LI
Huan-gan WU
Chun-yan ZHANG
author_facet Chu-ting WU
Xiao-yan DONG
Xin-rong LI
Yang CAO
Cai-mei HUANG
Ming-yang LI
Jia-wei HU
Yuan GAO
Yu-ran LI
Huan-gan WU
Chun-yan ZHANG
author_sort Chu-ting WU
collection DOAJ
description Background: Acupuncture has been proven to improve the pregnancy rate in infertile women. Endometriosis is a common cause of infertility. So far, there are no studies of the efficacy of acupuncture on endometriosis-associated infertility (EAI). Therefore, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate whether acupuncture could have higher pregnancy rates in patients with EAI compared with sham acupuncture. The study protocol is reported in this paper. Methods/design: The current trial is a multicenter randomized controlled study undergoing in Shanghai, China. About 224 eligible patients with EAI will be randomly assigned into the acupuncture group and the sham acupuncture group in a 1:1 ratio. In the acupuncture group, patients will be treated with acupuncture on Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3), Zigong (EX-CA1), Xuehai (SP10), Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Taichong (LR3), twice a week, for 3 menstrual cycles, and 12 menstrual cycles will be followed up. The Park sham device will be used to perform non-transdermal acupuncture in the sham acupuncture group. The operation points will be located at 1.5 cm away beside these acupoints in the acupuncture group. The intervention period is the same as that in the acupuncture group. The primary outcome will be pregnancy rate. Secondary outcomes will include ultrasound results, cancer antigen 125 (CA125), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), sex hormones, and the Endometriosis Health Profile-5 (EHP-5). Outcomes will be collected at baseline, the end of treatment, and follow-up visits at 3, 6, and 12 menstrual cycles. All data, including major adverse events, will be recorded in electronic case report forms and analyzed using SPSS V.25.0. Discussion: This study will help to evaluate whether acupuncture is effective in increasing the pregnancy rate of infertile women with endometriosis. Trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/ Identifier: ChiCTR2100047662. Registered 21 June 2021.
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spelling doaj-art-8b565735ecbf406c9c420ef79a5845802025-08-20T02:50:48ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.World Journal of Acupuncture - Moxibustion1003-52572024-04-0134215616210.1016/j.wjam.2024.01.001Acupuncture for endometriosis-associated infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trialChu-ting WU0Xiao-yan DONG1Xin-rong LI2Yang CAO3Cai-mei HUANG4Ming-yang LI5Jia-wei HU6Yuan GAO7Yu-ran LI8Huan-gan WU9Chun-yan ZHANG10Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国)Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国)Obstetrics & Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200011, China (复旦大学附属妇产科医院, 上海200011, 中国)Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国)Hospital for Maternity and Child Care of Changning District, Shanghai 200051, China (上海市长宁区妇幼保健院, 上海200051, 中国)Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国)Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国)Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国)Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国)Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国); Corresponding authors.Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200437, China (上海中医药大学附属岳阳中西医结合医院, 上海200437, 中国); Corresponding authors.Background: Acupuncture has been proven to improve the pregnancy rate in infertile women. Endometriosis is a common cause of infertility. So far, there are no studies of the efficacy of acupuncture on endometriosis-associated infertility (EAI). Therefore, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate whether acupuncture could have higher pregnancy rates in patients with EAI compared with sham acupuncture. The study protocol is reported in this paper. Methods/design: The current trial is a multicenter randomized controlled study undergoing in Shanghai, China. About 224 eligible patients with EAI will be randomly assigned into the acupuncture group and the sham acupuncture group in a 1:1 ratio. In the acupuncture group, patients will be treated with acupuncture on Guanyuan (CV4), Zhongji (CV3), Zigong (EX-CA1), Xuehai (SP10), Zusanli (ST36), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Taichong (LR3), twice a week, for 3 menstrual cycles, and 12 menstrual cycles will be followed up. The Park sham device will be used to perform non-transdermal acupuncture in the sham acupuncture group. The operation points will be located at 1.5 cm away beside these acupoints in the acupuncture group. The intervention period is the same as that in the acupuncture group. The primary outcome will be pregnancy rate. Secondary outcomes will include ultrasound results, cancer antigen 125 (CA125), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), sex hormones, and the Endometriosis Health Profile-5 (EHP-5). Outcomes will be collected at baseline, the end of treatment, and follow-up visits at 3, 6, and 12 menstrual cycles. All data, including major adverse events, will be recorded in electronic case report forms and analyzed using SPSS V.25.0. Discussion: This study will help to evaluate whether acupuncture is effective in increasing the pregnancy rate of infertile women with endometriosis. Trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/ Identifier: ChiCTR2100047662. Registered 21 June 2021.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1003525724000102Endometriosis-associated infertility (EAI)AcupunctureRandomized controlled trials (RCTs)Protocol
spellingShingle Chu-ting WU
Xiao-yan DONG
Xin-rong LI
Yang CAO
Cai-mei HUANG
Ming-yang LI
Jia-wei HU
Yuan GAO
Yu-ran LI
Huan-gan WU
Chun-yan ZHANG
Acupuncture for endometriosis-associated infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
World Journal of Acupuncture - Moxibustion
Endometriosis-associated infertility (EAI)
Acupuncture
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
Protocol
title Acupuncture for endometriosis-associated infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_full Acupuncture for endometriosis-associated infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_fullStr Acupuncture for endometriosis-associated infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Acupuncture for endometriosis-associated infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_short Acupuncture for endometriosis-associated infertility: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
title_sort acupuncture for endometriosis associated infertility study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
topic Endometriosis-associated infertility (EAI)
Acupuncture
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs)
Protocol
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1003525724000102
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