Acupuncture for pain in sickle cell disease
Integrative Medicine in Pain Management in Sickle Cell Disease: Assessing the Clinical Efficacy and Neurobiological Impact With Acupuncture, 2.0
This trial will test whether traditional needle acupuncture or non‑needle laser acupuncture can reduce pain and change brain and sensory responses in adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 120 (estimated) |
| Ages | 14 Years to 80 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Indiana University Academic / other |
| Drugs / interventions | Crizanlizumab |
| Locations | 1 site (Indianapolis, Indiana) |
| Trial ID | NCT06725550 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized interventional study assigns participants to 10 sessions of either traditional needling acupuncture or laser acupuncture without skin contact, with each session lasting about 30 minutes. Investigators will measure pain, perform quantitative sensory testing before and after sessions, and record brain activity with MRI to explore neurobiological mechanisms. Participation includes about 14 study visits over 6–8 weeks plus follow‑up visits over 12 months, and participants must be able to travel to the Indianapolis site and limit initiation of new pain treatments during the treatment phase. The trial enrolls right‑handed adolescents and adults with a sickle cell disease diagnosis who have experienced chronic pain or a recent vaso‑occlusive crisis.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Right‑handed adolescents (14–17) and adults (18–80) with a diagnosis of sickle cell disease who have chronic pain in the past 6 months or a vaso‑occlusive crisis in the past 12 months and who can travel to the Indianapolis site and limit new pain treatments during the treatment period.
Not a fit: Patients who do not have chronic pain, cannot undergo MRI, have contraindications to acupuncture or laser therapy, or cannot limit other pain treatments during the intervention period may not benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, acupuncture could offer a non‑opioid option to reduce chronic pain and alter pain‑related brain activity for people with sickle cell disease.
How similar studies have performed: Acupuncture has shown pain‑reducing effects in other chronic pain conditions and some pilot neuroimaging work supports mechanism changes, but high‑quality randomized evidence specific to sickle cell disease is limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Any gender * 14-17 (Adolescents) and 18-80 (Adults) years old * Right-handed * Either outpatient or inpatient or status changing between each other * Have been diagnosed with SCD (includes but not limited to SS, SC or other type) and experiencing chronic pain in the past 6 months or vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) in the past 12 months. * Analgesic therapy prescribed by primary hematologists (or physicians for emergency or primary care) including pain-relieving medications (e.g. Morphine, coderin, Fentanyl, Oxycodone), Hydroxyurea (e.g. Droxia, Hydrea, Siklos), L-glutamine oral powder (Endari), Crizanlizumab (Adakveo), Voxelotor (Oxbryta), and/or other palliative treatment allowed, not required. * Willing to limit the current and the introduction of any new medications or treatment modalities for control of pain symptoms during the study visits. * Able to travel to the study site for participating scheduled visits (questionnaires, QST, EEG and MRI) and receive acupuncture treatments up to two times weekly for 5 weeks as scheduled. * We will recruit without regard to ethnicity, however, due to the genetic nature of SCD, subjects will primarily be African-American or of African descent, although there are individuals with SCD who come from Hispanic, southern European, Middle Eastern, or Asian Indian backgrounds. The ethnic distribution in our prior studies is 95% Black/African American with 5% Hispanic or Latino (of any race). As these are minority groups many individuals may be from lower income situations. * Fluent in English and capable of giving written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: * Subjects with Covid-19 suspicion or confirmation * Recent/ongoing alternative pain management with acupuncture or acupuncture-related techniques within the last 6-months. * Presence of a known coagulation abnormality: Thrombocytopenia (mild thrombocytopenia with a platelets range of 51,000-100,000/ul will be further evaluated for inclusion consideration), or bleeding diathesis that may preclude the safe use of acupuncture. * Presence of a concurrent autoimmune or inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, inflammatory bowel disease, etc. that causes pain or any other chronic pain condition with pain greater than sickle pain. * Diseases/conditions history includes but not limited to: * head injury with substantial loss of consciousness * peripheral neuropathy of known cause that interferes with activities of daily living * known non-SCD related Severe psychiatric illnesses (e.g. current schizophrenia, major depression with suicidal ideation). * significant visual, motor, or auditory impairment that would interfere with ability to perform study visits-related activities * Medication: Recent (30 days) initiation or dose adjustment of stimulant medications, such as those used to treat ADD/ADHD (e.g., amphetamine/dextroamphetamine \[Adderall®\], methylphenidate, dextroamphetamine), or the fatigue associated with sleep apnea or shift work (e.g., modafinil). * Contraindications to MRI scans includes but are not limited to: surgical clips, surgical staples, metal implants, cardiac rhythmic disorders, seizure disorders, and certain metallic dental material will not be scheduled for MRI visits. * History vascular surgery in lower limbs or current lower limb vascular dysfunction will not receive conditioned pressure pain stimuli in the lower limb. * Subjects with Worker's Compensation, Workman's Compensation, civil litigation or disability claims pertinent to the subject's sickle disease; current involvement in out-of-court settlements for claims pertinent to the subject's sickle disease; or currently receiving monetary compensation as a result of any of the above. * Participation of other studies: Concurrent participation in other therapeutic trials with overlapping research purposes. * Pregnant or nursing.
Where this trial is running
Indianapolis, Indiana
- Indiana University School of Medicine — Indianapolis, Indiana, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Ying Wang, MD, PhD
- Email: ywa12@iu.edu
- Phone: 317-278-5045
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.