Efficacy assessment of acupuncture in improving symptoms of uterine fibroids: A randomized controlled trial

Medicine (Baltimore). 2020 May;99(18):e20016. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000020016.

Abstract

Introduction: Uterine fibroids are a common benign genital tumor disease in gynecological diseases. It is mainly a change in physical function caused by the growth of smooth muscle cells in the factor uterus. Modern medicine's treatment of this disease is based on the dependence of uterine fibroids on sex hormones. Treatment with antiprogestin and estrogen drugs can reduce the volume of fibroids or slow the rate of increase in volume, thereby achieving the goal of alleviating clinical symptoms. In order to meet the needs of the majority of women of childbearing age and to maintain fertility, acupuncture treatment of uterine fibroids has a broad prospect for development.

Methods/design: This study plans to select 60 cases that meet the corresponding selection criteria. According to the random principle, they will be divided into intervention group and control group, with 30 cases in each group. The general information, fibroid size, and TCM syndrome scores of the two groups of patients will be compared before treatment. In terms of treatment, the intervention group will be given acupuncture combined therapy; the control group will be given Chinese patent medicine. The treatment cycles in both groups will be three menstrual cycles. After the treatment is completed, the data of the relevant curative effect indicators are analyzed by using SPSS software to draw conclusions.

Discussion: We aim to provide higher evidence-based medical evidence for acupuncture treatment of uterine fibroids.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ChiCTR2000030438, Registered on March 01, 2020.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial Protocol

MeSH terms

  • Acupuncture Therapy* / methods
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • China
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal* / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Health Behavior
  • Humans
  • Leiomyoma* / drug therapy
  • Leiomyoma* / pathology
  • Leiomyoma* / therapy
  • Menstrual Cycle
  • Middle Aged
  • Multicenter Studies as Topic
  • Quality of Life
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Research Design
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Single-Blind Method
  • Uterine Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Uterine Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Uterine Neoplasms* / therapy
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal