Skip to content

The Therapeutic Effect of Catgut Embedding in Obesity

The Therapeutic Effect of Catgut Embedding in Obesity-A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial

Status
UNKNOWN
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02276235
Enrollment
90
Registered
2014-10-28
Start date
2014-01-31
Completion date
2014-12-31
Last updated
2014-10-28

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

Conditions

Obese Women

Keywords

catgut embedding, obese women, obesity-related hormones

Brief summary

The aim of this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial is to evaluate the therapeutic effects of acupoint stimulation by catgut embedding on complexion, quality of life, lipid profile, inflammatory markers, and obesity-related hormone peptide of obese women.

Detailed description

We will recruit 90 females aged from 16 year-old to 65 year-old with body mass index(BMI) 27㎞/㎡ and waist circumference≧80cm. After inform consent, they will be randomly assigned into two groups. In group A, catgut embedding will be applied to six acupuncture points on the abdomen including Qihai (Ren-6), Shuifen (REN-9), bilateral shuidao (ST-28) and Siman (ST-26), which have been proved to be effective on obesity in our previous study, once each week for six times. In group B, sham catgut embedding will be applied on the same acupoints once each week for six weeks. This trial will go on for six weeks with six course of treatment. Our primary outcome measurements is complexion which included body mass index(BMI),waist circumstances, and waist-hip ratio. In our second outcome measurments, we will evaluate the life quality of these patients using 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) which developed for the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) and also using questionnaire of quality of life that was designated by World Health Organization. We will also classify the patients by questionnaire designed for TCM syndrome of obesity. We will check blood test included lipid profile (TG, Chol, HDL-C, LDL-C), inflammatory markers, and hormone peptide related to obesity such as insulin,leptin,ghrelin,adiponectin. Each enrolling patients will be evaluated at the baseline before treatment and after 6 times treatments completed by above parameters to find out the therapeutic effects and mechanism of catgut embedding in acupoints in obese women.

Interventions

DEVICECatgut embedding group

An extensive form of acupuncture that involves weekly infixing self-absorptive chromic catgut sutures into acupoints with a specialised needle under antiseptic precautions. The catgut then stimulate those points over a long period. The stainless-steel acupuncture needles (3.8cm long) was inserted into 23 gouge needle as plunger with chromic catgut in front of the syringe needle. Catgut will be embedding in acupoints as below. Acupoints: Qihai (REN-6), Shuifen (REN-9), bilateral Shuidao (ST-28),bilateral Siman (K-14) ,zusanli(ST-26)

DEVICEsham catgut embedding group

The stainless-steel acupuncture needles (3.8cm long) was inserted into 23 gouge needle as plunger without chromic catgut in front of the syringe needle. Catgut will be embedding in acupoints as below. Acupoints: Qihai (REN-6), Shuifen (REN-9), bilateral Shuidao (ST-28),bilateral Siman (K-14) ,zusanli(ST-26)

Sponsors

National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
CollaboratorOTHER
Taipei City Hospital
Lead SponsorOTHER_GOV

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
FEMALE
Age
20 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* body mass index (BMI) ≥ 27 kg/m2 waist circumference (WC) ≥ 80 cm and willing to participate in and fill out the questionnaires for this trial.

Exclusion criteria

* Endocrine disease(Thyroid disease, pituitary disease, diabetes mellitus) Autoimmune disease(SLE、SSS、RA) Heart disease(Heart failure, arrhythmia etc.) Abnormal liver function(GOT\>80U/L、GPT\>80U/L) Abnormal kidney function(serum creatinine\>2.5 mg/dL) Stroke disease in past one year Under breast feeding or pregnancy Coagulation disorder Subjects with keloid disorder Accept weight reduction treatment in last two months

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
body weightassessed at each time before procedures and one week after the 6th treatment, an expected average of 7 weeks
body mass indexassessed at each time before procedures and one week after the 6th treatment, an expected average of 7 weeks
waist circumferenceassessed at each time before procedures and one week after the 6th treatment, an expected average of 7 weeks
hip circumferenceassessed at each time before procedures and one week after the 6th treatment, an expected average of 7 weeks

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Quality of lifeAssess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentshort-form 12 items and WHOQOLBREF
Questionnaire on traditional Chinese medicine syndrome groupsAssess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentObesity subjects will be classified into six groups including stomach heat, yin deficiency, qi stagnation, qi deficiency, kidney deficiency and blood stasis With more than two yesin items, patient will be classified to that kind of syndrome
sugarAssess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentAC sugar,
cholesterolAssess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentcholesterol (Chol),
liver functionAssess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentALT
kidney functionAssess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentCr
inflammatory markersAssess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmenthsCRP
glycohemoglobinAssess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentglycohemoglobin (HbA1c),
triglyceride (TG)Assess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmenttriglyceride (TG),
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)Assess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentlow-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)Assess at baseline and after 6 weeks of treatmentHigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)

Countries

Taiwan

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026