Acupuncture Based on Regulating Autonomic Nerves for the Prevention of Migraine Without Aura: A Prospective, Double-Dummy, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Chuanlong Zhou; Jie Bao; Hantong Hu; Siting Ye; Xiaomei Shao; Yi Liang; Jianqiao Fang

doi:10.2147/JPR.S372311

Acupuncture Based on Regulating Autonomic Nerves for the Prevention of Migraine Without Aura: A Prospective, Double-Dummy, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

J Pain Res. 2022 Aug 4:15:2211-2221. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S372311. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Chuanlong Zhou^#¹, Jie Bao^#², Hantong Hu¹, Siting Ye³, Xiaomei Shao⁴, Yi Liang⁴, Jianqiao Fang⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Acupuncture, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
² School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
³ Department of Tuina, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Neurology of Zhejiang Province, the Third Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Background: Migraine without aura (MWoA) is a nervous system disease, which is closely related to autonomic nerves dysfunction. As a popular non-pharmacological alternative treatment for preventing migraine, it remains unclear whether the acupuncture can prevent MWoA. Thus, this trial aims to evaluate the preventive effect and safety of the acupuncture method of stimulating acupoints that regulate autonomic nerves in MWoA patients.

Methods: This is a single-center, prospective, double-dummy, randomized controlled clinical trial. A total of ninety-six patients with MWoA are randomly allocated to acupuncture combined with the placebo group and sham acupuncture combined with the medication group in a 1:1 ratio. All subjects will receive intervention for 8 weeks and follow-up assessments three times (one month, three months, and six months in follow-up visiting). The frequency of acupuncture in both groups is three times a week for eight weeks. The primary outcome will be evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS) and the number of migraine attacks per four weeks. The secondary outcome measures will include the migraine-specific quality of life (MSQOL) scale and headache needs assessment survey (HANA) questionnaire scale.

Results: The acupoint selection of this clinical trial is based on the combination of traditional Chinese medicine theory with modern medicine, thereby evaluating the efficacy and safety of the acupuncture method of stimulating acupoints that regulate autonomic nerves in the prevention of MWoA. The results may provide evidence of the beneficial effects of acupuncture on the prevention of MWoA by regulating autonomic nerves dysfunction.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04766762.

Keywords: acupuncture; autonomic nerves; migraine without aura; protocol; randomized controlled clinical trial.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04766762

Grants and funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Plan Project (No. 2020ZB125) and Zhejiang Province Medical and Health Care Key Project (No.2022KY237) provided funding.