Self-administered Acupressure in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease
Acupressure in Patients With Sickle Cell Disease
Who can join
As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.
- Age
- 18 Years to 80 Years
- Sex
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Compensation
- Not stated
Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.
What to expect
No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.
What participation involves
- Time periods mentioned: 5 weeks
Only what the study's summary and detailed description on ClinicalTrials.gov say. Time periods may describe the whole study or a part of it — ask the study team what applies to you.
Show the study's own words
- "Participation in this study will consist of remote self-administered treatment every other day over 5 weeks, followed by 6 months of remote follow-up visits."
- Compensation
- Not stated
- Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
- Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
- Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
- Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.
About this study
In plain language
This study tests whether self-administered acupressure, or pressing on points on your body, helps ease sickle cell pain. It also looks at how this pain relief works in the brain and nerves. It is for adults with sickle cell disease who have had long-term pain in the past 6 months.
The proposed research is to determine the clinical efficacy and neurobiological mechanisms of acupressure analgesia in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD).
Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.
Eligibility
Who can join
- Be 18 to 80 years old. People of any gender may join.
- Have a diagnosis of sickle cell disease and long-term pain in the past 6 months.
- You may be staying in a hospital, getting care outside a hospital, or moving between the two.
- Be willing to limit current and new pain medicines or other pain treatments during study visits.
- Be willing to do acupressure every other day for 5 weeks.
- Speak English fluently and be able to give written consent to join.
Who can't join
- Have used acupuncture, acupressure, or related pain treatments in the past 6 months.
- Have another disease that causes pain through swelling or the body's defenses attacking healthy tissue, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or inflammatory bowel disease.
- Have another long-term pain condition that causes more pain than sickle cell disease.
- Have had a head injury with a major loss of consciousness.
- Have a known severe mental illness not related to sickle cell disease, such as current schizophrenia or major depression with thoughts of suicide.
- Have serious trouble seeing, moving, or hearing that would make study visit activities hard to do.
Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.
Official eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: Any gender 18-80 (Adults) years old Have been diagnosed with SCD and experiencing chronic pain in the past 6 months Either outpatient or inpatient or status changing between each other Willing to limit the current and the introduction of any new medications or treatment modalities for control of pain symptoms during the study visits Willing to stick to the scheduled acupressure treatments every other day for 5 weeks Fluent in English and capable of giving written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: Recent/ongoing alternative pain management with acupuncture/acupressure or acupuncture/acupressure-related techniques within the last 6 months 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 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
Study sites (2)
CA
- University of California, Irvine · Irvine, CA 92697Zahra Pakbaz, MD · Study contact · 714-456-5153 · zpakbaz@hs.uci.eduRichard E Harris, PhD · Principal investigatorMore trials in Irvine
OH
- University of Cincinnati · Cincinnati, OH 45229Ying Wang, MD, PhD · Study contact · 513-653-0746 · ywanglab@ucmail.uc.eduYing Wang, MD, PhD · Principal investigatorMore trials in Cincinnati