Chronic Pruritus
Conditions
Brief summary
Chronic pruritus is a common and challenging condition with limited effective treatment options. This prospective, randomized comparative study aimed to evaluate the short-term clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture compared with narrow-band UVB phototherapy in patients with chronic generalized pruritus. A total of 90 adult patients were enrolled and treated for one month. Pruritus severity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) at baseline and after treatment.
Detailed description
This prospective comparative study included 90 adult patients diagnosed with chronic generalized pruritus. Participants were randomized into two parallel groups: an acupuncture group (n=50) and a narrow-band UVB phototherapy group (n=40). Acupuncture was administered twice weekly for one month (eight sessions total) using standardized acupuncture points in accordance with STRICTA recommendations. Phototherapy was administered three times weekly for one month. The primary outcomes were changes in pruritus severity measured by VAS and IGA at baseline and at one month. Safety and comparative short-term efficacy were evaluated.
Interventions
DEVICESterile disposable acupuncture needles
Sterile disposable stainless steel acupuncture needles (0.25 × 25 mm) were used for acupuncture treatment.
DEVICENarrow Band UVB Phototherapy Unit
Patients underwent narrow-band UVB phototherapy three times per week for one month. Narrowband UVB therapy was administered using a licensed NB-UVB phototherapy unit. Treatment doses ranged between 3.6 and 5.34 J/cm², adjusted according to individual skin type.
Sponsors
Ankara University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Age ≥ 18 years * Clinical diagnosis of chronic generalized pruritus lasting longer than 6 weeks * Ability to understand the study procedures and provide written informed consent * Willingness to comply with the study protocol and attend scheduled visits
Exclusion criteria
(Acupuncture Group): * Pregnancy or breastfeeding * Bleeding disorders or use of anticoagulant therapy * Skin diseases or lesions impairing skin integrity at acupuncture application sites * Advanced hypertension or heart failure
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Visual Analogue Scale for Pruritus | Baseline to 1 month | The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) is a patient-reported scale used to assess pruritus severity. Unit of Measure: Units on a Scale Scale Description : Visual Analogue Scale ranges from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pruritus and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pruritus. Higher scores indicate worse pruritus severity. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Investigator's Global Assessment for Chronic Pruritus | Baseline to 1 month | Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) is a clinician-rated scale assessing disease severity in patients with chronic pruritus. Unit of Measure: Units on a Scale Scale Description: Investigator's Global Assessment scores range from 0 to 4, where 0 = clear, 1 = almost clear, 2 = mild, 3 = moderate, and 4 = severe disease. Higher scores indicate worse disease severity. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed