Recruiting

Acupuncture

Sponsor:

UCLA

Code:

NCT06311461

Conditions

Angina, Stable

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 21+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Acupuncture

Attention control

Study Details

Brief summary:

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine if a standardized 12-point acupuncture protocol will reduce pain in participants with stable angina.

This study addresses the critical need to reduce persistent pain for angina. The investigators long-term goal is symptom management for diverse women and men with angina, targeting additional angina burden borne of social disadvantage

Participants will be randomized to a 10-acupuncture session protocol, two treatments per week for five weeks, or an attention control group. Participants will view designated, non-pain related Technology, Entertainment, Design Talks equal to the time spent receiving acupuncture (\~7.5-10 hrs.).

The investigators will test the efficacy of acupuncture for stable angina/chest pain syndrome to reduce pain and symptoms, improve health-related quality of life, reduce healthcare utilization and and improve patient related health outcomes.

Conditions

Angina, Stable

Study ID

NCT06311461

Start date

Apr 1, 2024

Status verified date

Mar, 2025

Completion date

Jun 30, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Dec 31, 2026

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: All

Age: 21+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of stable angina or chest pain syndrome for at least 1 month (pain, pressure, or discomfort in the chest or other areas of the upper body)
  • Treated with medical therapy for at least 1 month
  • Experiencing symptoms at least once per week
  • Speak and read English
  • 21 years of age minimum

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Pregnancy as some acupuncture points included in the protocol are contraindicated in pregnancy
  • Physical or cognitive limitations that will prevent informed consent or completion of study tasks
  • Use of steroid or prescription analgesic medications
  • Concomitant biofeedback, professional massage and acupuncture.

Study Design

Enrollment

112 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Treatment

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Acupuncture

Participants in the acupuncture group will receive a standardized Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) point prescription. Acupuncture will be administered 2 times per week for 5 weeks for a total of 10 treatments.

active comparator: Attention Control Group

The attention control group will view non-pain related TED talk videos over 5 weeks approximately equal to 10 hours of treatment for the acupuncture group.

Interventions

Acupuncture

The acupuncturist will swab each point with alcohol. Needles will be inserted and retained for 30 minutes. Each needle will be rotated 3 times to stimulate the qi in the meridian; 10 minutes after insertion, 20 minutes after insertion, and just prior to removal at 30 minutes. Needles will be inserted using the standards of clean needle technique established by the Council of Colleges of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine. One size acupuncture needle, 0.25 diameter × 40 mm length, will be used. All acupuncture needles are sterile, disposable, and made of surgical stainless steel with stainless steel wound heads. Sessions will be repeated twice weekly (with at least 2 off days in between) for 5 weeks (10 sessions).

Attention control

Viewing non-pain related TED talk videos over 5 weeks approximately equal to 10 hours of treatment for the acupuncture group.

Primary outcome measure

  • Pain Now [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Worst Pain [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Least Pain [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Acute Coronary Syndrome like symptoms (ACS Symptom Checklist) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Anginal Pain (Seattle Angina Questionnaire-7) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Number of Angina Attacks (From American Heart Association Angina Log) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Symptom Triggers (From American Heart Association Angina Log) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Pain from Angina Attack (From American Heart Association Angina Log) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Length of Angina Attack (American Heart Association Angina Log) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]
  • Self-treatment for Symptoms (From American Heart Association Angina Log) [ Time Frame: Baseline to 10 weeks ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Holli A. DeVon, PhD

3109107283hdevon@sonnet.ucla.edu

Peter Cabezas

310-922-5835pcabezas@sonnet.ucla.edu

Locations

UCLA School of Nursing

Recruiting

Los Angeles, California, United States, 90095

Contacts

Holli DeVon, PhD

310-910-7283hdevon@sonnet.ucla.edu

Peter Cabezas

310-922-5835pcabezas@sonnet.ucla.edu

More Information

Sponsor

University of California, Los Angeles

Last update posted

Apr 3, 2025

Last verified

Mar, 2025

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-09. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by University of California, Los Angeles on 2025-04-03.