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Relaxation Response With Acupuncture for HIV Patients
This study has been completed.
Sponsored by: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
Information provided by: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM)
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00064740
  Purpose

Advances in treatment has turned HIV/AIDS into a chronic illness. Relaxation response is a state in which individuals evoke a bodily calm, effecting physiological changes that are shown to be associated with improved immune functioning. Acupuncture and relaxation are thought to both induce calm and deep relaxation in mind and body. This trial will study the combined effects of acupuncture and relaxation response in HIV patients.


Condition Intervention Phase
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
AIDS
Behavioral: relaxation response
Phase II

MedlinePlus related topics: AIDS Acupuncture
U.S. FDA Resources
Study Type: Interventional
Study Design: Treatment, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study
Official Title: Relaxation Response With Acupuncture for HIV Patients

Further study details as provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):

Estimated Enrollment: 100
Study Start Date: July 2003
Estimated Study Completion Date: March 2006
Detailed Description:

HIV/AIDS patients experience a range of symptoms associated with clinical manifestations of the disease, opportunistic infections, and medication side effects, all of which are strongly associated with quality of life (QoL). Many HIV/AIDS patients use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to help alleviate their symptoms and to improve their QoL. Among the various CAMs, acupuncture and relaxation response are commonly used regimens. These two therapies are thought to share common features and can complement each other in that acupuncture facilitates the effect of relaxation response and on the other hand relaxation response prepares the body to be more accessible to acupuncture. This study will test the feasibility of conducting a double blind 2-arm controlled trial and to collect pilot data in preparation for a large-scale study to fully test the hypothesis that adding relaxation response to acupuncture will have an enhanced effect in HIV+ patients. For this pilot study, we will recruit 100 HIV+ patients who are currently receiving acupuncture. Study participants in the intervention group will listen to tapes with instructions to elicit the relaxation response as well as music routinely played while receiving acupuncture. Study participants in the control group will receive usual care that is listening to music while receiving acupuncture. Study participants in the intervention group will be given the relaxation response tapes for home practice and they are asked to record the frequency of usage. We will assess both groups' symptoms and quality of life at baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and upon completion of the intervention at 12 weeks. We will assess the feasibility using various indicators, including patient evaluation of the study. Ultimately, the qualitative analysis of patients' study evaluation as well as the longitudinal regression analysis results that compare the outcomes between the intervention and control groups will be used to help design a future large-scale study of the relaxation response intervention among HIV+ patients treated with acupuncture.

  Eligibility

Ages Eligible for Study:   18 Years and older
Genders Eligible for Study:   Both
Accepts Healthy Volunteers:   No
Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

  • HIV positive
  • First time and long-term acupuncture users
  • Symptomatic criteria including: sinus problem, headache, dental pain/sore or bleeding gums, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle aches, joint pain, neuropathy, weakness, anxiety, depression, and insomnia

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients suffering from acute symptoms
  • Patients with acute opportunistic infections
  • Patients currently practicing relaxation response
  • Patients currently enrolled in another intervention study
  • Cognitive impairment as measured by MMSE (Mini Mental Status Examination)
  • Lack of English proficiency
  Contacts and Locations
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00064740

Locations
United States, Massachusetts
Aids Care Program
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Sponsors and Collaborators
Investigators
Principal Investigator: Bei-Hung Chang, Sc.D Assistant Professor at Boston University School of Public Health
  More Information

Study ID Numbers: R21 AT001276-01A1
Study First Received: July 11, 2003
Last Updated: August 16, 2006
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00064740  
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government

Keywords provided by National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM):
Human Immunodeficiency Viruses
Relaxation
Acupuncture
Complementary therapies

Study placed in the following topic categories:
Virus Diseases
Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral
HIV Infections
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
Retroviridae Infections
Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes

Additional relevant MeSH terms:
RNA Virus Infections
Slow Virus Diseases
Immune System Diseases
Lentivirus Infections

ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on January 16, 2009