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The efficacy and safety of acupuncture for cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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Authors

Cho, Seung-Yeon; Lee, Dong-Hyuk; Shin, Hee Sup; Lee, Seung Hwan; Koh, Jun Seok; Jung, Woo-Sang; Moon, Sang-Kwan; Park, Jung-Mi; Ko, Chang-Nam; Kim, Ho; Park, Seong-Uk

Issue Date
2015-02-28
Publisher
BioMed Central
Citation
Trials, 16(1):68
Keywords
Subarachnoid hemorrhageVasospasmDelayed ischemic neurological deficitAcupuncture
Abstract
Background
Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a neurological disease with a high mortality rate. Several serious complications frequently arise after successful surgery for this condition. Cerebral vasospasm, one such complication, occurs in 50 to 70% of SAH patients. These patients suffer neurological symptoms known as delayed ischemic neurological deficit (DIND); however, the effect of treatment of vasospasm is limited. The major pathogenesis of cerebral vasospasm is the reduction of nitric oxide (NO) and activation of vasoconstrictors. Acupuncture is known to increase the production and activity of vascular endothelial cell-derived NO and improve endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. A preliminary retrospective case study to investigate the ability of acupuncture to prevent the occurrence of cerebral vasospasm has been conducted. However, no randomized, controlled clinical trials have been carried out to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture for cerebral vasospasm.

Methods/Design
This trial will be a single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group, patient-assessor-blinded clinical trial. A total of 80 patients with SAH will be randomized into two groups: a study group given acupuncture, electroacupuncture, and intradermal acupuncture, and a control group given mock transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and sham intradermal acupuncture. Intervention will start within 96 h after SAH, and a total of 12 sessions will be performed during a 2-week period. The primary outcome measure will be the occurrence of DIND, and the secondary outcomes will be vasospasm as measured by cerebral angiography, transcranial Doppler, clinical symptoms, vasospasm-related infarcts, NO and endothelin-1 plasma levels, mortality, and modified Rankin Scale scores.

Discussion
This trial will examine the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for cerebral vasospasm after SAH. The placebo effect will be excluded and the mechanism of action of the treatments will be evaluated through blood testing.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT0227594, Registration date: 26 October 2014.
Language
English
URI
https://hdl.handle.net/10371/109867
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Graduate School of Public Health (보건대학원)Dept. of Public Health (보건학과)Journal Papers (저널논문_보건학과)
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