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Interest of Auriculotherapy in the Treatment of Xerostomia

Interest of Auriculotherapy in the Treatment of Xerostomia.

Status
Completed
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT04222478
Acronym
AURICULOXERO
Enrollment
65
Registered
2020-01-10
Start date
2019-12-04
Completion date
2025-09-15
Last updated
2026-06-11

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

Conditions

Xerostomia

Keywords

Auriculotherapy, Xerostomia, ENT cancer

Brief summary

The aim of the study is to show that auriculotherapy is effective in the treatment of xerostomia

Interventions

3 sessions of auriculotherapy with semi-permanent needles on the 6 points according to the "protocol of Alimi" at one month intervals.

3 sessions of auriculotherapy with semi-permanent needles on non-specific points.

Sponsors

Hopital Foch
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients over 18 years old; * Complain about xerostomia after cervical irradiation in the context of ENT cancer; * End of radiotherapy\> 3 months * Covered by a national healthcare insurance * Consent form signed. Non inclusion Criteria: * Pregnant or breastfeeding women; * Local counterindication to auriculotherapy; * With anticoagulant treatment; * History or existing of hemophilia; * Valvular prosthesis; * Ear's pavilion infection; * Treatment by auriculotherapy or acupuncture in this indication in the previous 12 months; * Having started in the 48 hours preceding the first auriculotherapy session, any new management of xerostomia and likely to interfere with the study (specific medication and/or complementary therapeutic management); * Difficulty to comply with the treatment, questionnaires or study protocol; * Being deprived of liberty or under guardianship.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of patients with improvement of salivation after 3 month of treatment (Real Auriculotherapy group compared to Sham Auriculotherapy group)3 monthsShow that auriculotherapy (treatment of specific points) is effective in the treatment of xerostomia compared to a "sham" treatment (treatment of non-specific points). The relative variation of salivary secretion "after treatment" compared to "before treatment" will be judged on the weight of 3 compresses left 5 minutes in the mouth: 2 in front of the openings of Sténon's canal and 1 on the buccal floor (orifice of Wharton's canal). Salivary secretion is measured by the weight in grams of the compresses left in the mouth. This measurement is performed at inclusion and after 3 months of treatment. The measurement is made with a jeweler-type precision balance.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Assess the effect of auriculotherapy on the subjective improvement of salivation3 monthsSpecific xerostomia questionnaire at inclusion and 3 months post-treatment (11 questions with 5 response levels (1 = never / 2 = very rarely / 3 = occasionally / 4 = quite often / 5 = very often) to evaluate Xerostomia symptoms).
Assess the effect of auriculotherapy on the subjective improvement of clinical status3 monthsGlobal Patient Change Impression (GPCI) questionnaire at 3 months post-inclusion. This questionnaire evaluates all aspects of patients' health and assesses if there has been an improvement or decline in clinical status.
Assess the effect of auriculotherapy on the dysgeusia, dysphagia, pain or burning sensations3 monthsSimple numerical scales from 0 (best score) to 10 (worst score) at inclusion and at 3 months post-treatment.
Assess the effect of auriculotherapy on anxiety and depression3 monthsHospital Anxiety and Depression questionnaire at inclusion and 3 months post-treatment. The HADS consists of 14 items, scored from 0 to 3, with seven questions relating to anxiety and seven questions relating to depression, allowing 2 scores to be obtained. The highest scores indicating more severe symptoms: "normal" cases (0-7 points); doubtful case (8-10 points); certain cases (11-21 points).
Assess the effect of auriculotherapy on quality of life3 monthsEuroQoL five Dimension questionnaire at inclusion and 3 months post-treatment. This questionnaire is designed for the patient to judge the impact of his state of health on his quality of life according to 5 dimensions (mobility, personal autonomy, daily activities, pain / discomfort and anxiety / depression). Each item has 3 response levels (1, 2 and 3) and the combination of the five digits will represent the patient's state of health. It is supplemented by a quality of life thermometer graduated from 0 (worst quality of life) to 100 (best quality of life).
Assess the effect of auriculotherapy on the wish to continue treatment3 monthsPatient's desire to continue treatment (question to patient - yes/no response)

Countries

France

Contacts

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORMireille Michel-Cherqui, MD

Hopital Foch

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jun 12, 2026