Based on the TCM theory of "TiaoQi TongZhuo", the efficacy study of eletro-acupuncture for olfactory dysfunction after COVID-19 infection: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Early Phase 1

Study type

Interventional

Source

ChiCTR

Registry ID

ChiCTR2300068222

Enrollment

Unknown

Registered

2023-02-10

Start date

2023-02-13

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2023-05-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

olfactory dysfunction after COVID-19

Interventions

Electroacupuncture group:Electroacupuncture

Sham acupuncture group:Patients in the SA group received minimally invasive acupuncture at nonacupoints.

Waiting Group:Awaiting treatment

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 65 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: 1. Meet the diagnostic criteria for post-infectious olfactory dysfunction; 2. Be able to have a diagnostic report specifying the date of a positive COVID-19 test and the date of onset of the olfactory dysfunction; 3. Aged 18-65 years; 4. Olfactory disturbance lasting between 4 and 12 weeks after a COVID-19 diagnosis (nucleic acid or antigen); 5. No prior history of electroacupuncture; 6. Hyposmia or anosmia detected by the T&T olfactometer and an olfactory recognition threshold > 2.5; 7. Voluntary signed informed consent form.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. History of previous olfactory-taste disorder; 2. The evaluation of self-smell in the Clinical Global Impression – Severity scale is good or above; 3. History of chemotherapy or estrogen inhibitor (aromatase) therapy, or impaired cognitive function and neurodegenerative disease (Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease), or medication known to be harmful to olfactory function prior to the onset of olfactory impairment; 4. Current active nasal disease (sinusitis, rhinosinusitis, sinus polyposis, atrophic rhinitis, allergies), history of head and neck disease or chemoradiotherapy, history of stroke or neurotrauma, stenosis or deformity causing severe nasal congestion; 5. Severe mental illness (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, olfactory hallucinations); 6. History of sinus or nasopharyngeal tumors, or treatment of olfactory dysfunction with corticosteroids within the past 1 week.

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Response rate;	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
SNOT-22;questionnaire of olfactory disorders;Visual analogue scale;recovery rate of T&T Olfactometer;	—

Countries

China

Contacts

Public ContactXiaobai Xu

Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University

xu_xiaobai1990@sina.com+86 188 1055 0665

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ChiCTR (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026