EndometriosisPhase 1/2NCT00034047
Endometriosis : Traditional Medicine vs Hormone Therapy
A Phase 1/2 study testing Acupuncture, Chinese Products and Nafarelin in people with Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain, run by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at 2 sites in United States.
Trial summary
This 36-week study will determine whether traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture and Chinese herbs) is as effective as hormone therapy for alleviating endometriosis-related pelvic pain. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 45 years, women only
- Conditions the study is for
- Endometriosis, Pelvic Pain
- What is being tested?
- Acupuncture, Chinese Products and Nafarelin
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesUnited States
- Study dates
- Sep 2002to Aug 2006
- Phase
- Phase 1/2
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 45 years
- Women only
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Women with laparoscopy-confirmed endometriosis within the past 6 years
- Experiencing chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea (painful periods) and dyspareunia (painful intercourse), at least one of which is moderate to severe
Who cannot join
- Use of traditional Chinese medicine for endometriosis. If previous treatment with hormone therapy, must have responded positively but not have been on hormone therapy within the past 6 months
- Use of any form of hormone-based contraception during the 12-week treatment and 24-week follow-up periods
- Diagnosed with any chronic condition other than endometriosis, or any other acute condition that causes pain
- Pregnancy or breast feeding
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
United States2 sites
Oregon Health Sciences University, Women's Health Research Unit
Portland, Oregon, 97201
Oregon College of Oriental Medicine Clinic
Portland, Oregon, 97216
About this study
This 36-week study will determine whether traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture and Chinese herbs) is as effective as hormone therapy for alleviating endometriosis-related pelvic pain.
Read the detailed description
Endometriosis is a significant public health problem affecting 10-15% of women of childbearing age, many of whom suffer persistent pelvic pain and infertility. Therapeutic options include surgery and hormone therapy that are often temporarily effective but produce unwanted side-effects. The present proposal, based on case series reports of the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM: acupuncture and Chinese herbs) for this condition, aims to evaluate whether TCM is as effective as hormone therapy for alleviating endometriosis-related chronic pain.
Women with laparoscopy-diagnosed endometriosis will be randomly assigned to either TCM or hormone therapy. Women assigned to TCM will be divided into four sub-groups on the basis of the diagnostic categories of endometriosis recognized by TCM. A pre-established acupuncture protocol and herbal formula specific for each sub-group will be followed. This aspect of the research design permits an important feature of the clinical practice of TCM (matching treatment to sub-group diagnosis) to be adopted in a clinical trial. Women assigned to hormone therapy will be treated with the gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), nafarelin, chosen for this study on the basis of its clinical trial-established efficacy, ease of patient usage via intranasal spray and milder side-effect profile relative to other GnRHa's. Pelvic pain symptoms (patient-scored) and signs (physician-scored) will be assessed at baseline, after 12 weeks of treatment, and at 12- and 24-week post-treatment follow-up. Pelvic examination scores will be determined by a physician blinded to the treatment group assignments. Side effects, including those of pseudomenopause known to result from GnRHa therapy, will be recorded in both groups at 4-week intervals during the 12-week treatment, and at each follow-up time. A further objective is to make a preliminary assessment of whether diagnostic sub-groups of endometriosis recognized by TCM serve as predictors of differential response to hormone therapy. Data obtained from this study, on treatment effectiveness, side effect profiles, recurrence of symptoms, compliance with therapy and drop-out rates, will be used to design a large-scale clinical trial.
- Conditions
- Endometriosis, Pelvic Pain
- Being tested
- Acupuncture, Chinese Products, Nafarelin
- Keywords
- Endometriosis, Pelvic pain, Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Hormone therapy, Nafarelin
- Medical subject headings
- Endometriosis, Pelvic Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
AcupunctureProcedure or surgery
Chinese ProductsDrug
NafarelinDrug
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Pain assessments
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Apr 2002 (estimated)
- Study startSep 2002
- Primary completionAug 2006
- Study completionAug 2006
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for EndometriosisStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 1/2
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 50 participants
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
- Sponsor type
- US National Institutes of Health
- Investigators
- Richard Hammerschlag, PhD, Principal investigator, Oregon College of Oriental MedicineKenneth Burry, MD, Principal investigator, Oregon Health and Science University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00034047
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- R21AT000453-01
- Status last verified
- Jan 2008
- First submitted
- 19 Apr 2002
- Last updated
- 25 Jan 2008
- Results posted
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Jan 2008. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Endometriosis : Traditional Medicine vs Hormone Therapy
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT00034047
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- R21AT000453-01
- Conditions
- Endometriosis, Pelvic Pain
- Keywords
- Endometriosis, Pelvic pain, Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Hormone therapy, Nafarelin
- Phase
- Phase 1/2
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 50 participants
- Lead sponsor
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)US National Institutes of Health
- Study start
- Sep 2002
- Primary completion
- Aug 2006 (actual)
- Study completion
- Aug 2006 (actual)
- First posted
- 22 Apr 2002 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This 36-week study will determine whether traditional Chinese medicine (acupuncture and Chinese herbs) is as effective as hormone therapy for alleviating endometriosis-related pelvic pain.
Detailed description
Endometriosis is a significant public health problem affecting 10-15% of women of childbearing age, many of whom suffer persistent pelvic pain and infertility. Therapeutic options include surgery and hormone therapy that are often temporarily effective but produce unwanted side-effects. The present proposal, based on case series reports of the effectiveness of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM: acupuncture and Chinese herbs) for this condition, aims to evaluate whether TCM is as effective as hormone therapy for alleviating endometriosis-related chronic pain.
Women with laparoscopy-diagnosed endometriosis will be randomly assigned to either TCM or hormone therapy. Women assigned to TCM will be divided into four sub-groups on the basis of the diagnostic categories of endometriosis recognized by TCM. A pre-established acupuncture protocol and herbal formula specific for each sub-group will be followed. This aspect of the research design permits an important feature of the clinical practice of TCM (matching treatment to sub-group diagnosis) to be adopted in a clinical trial. Women assigned to hormone therapy will be treated with the gonadotropin releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), nafarelin, chosen for this study on the basis of its clinical trial-established efficacy, ease of patient usage via intranasal spray and milder side-effect profile relative to other GnRHa's. Pelvic pain symptoms (patient-scored) and signs (physician-scored) will be assessed at baseline, after 12 weeks of treatment, and at 12- and 24-week post-treatment follow-up. Pelvic examination scores will be determined by a physician blinded to the treatment group assignments. Side effects, including those of pseudomenopause known to result from GnRHa therapy, will be recorded in both groups at 4-week intervals during the 12-week treatment, and at each follow-up time. A further objective is to make a preliminary assessment of whether diagnostic sub-groups of endometriosis recognized by TCM serve as predictors of differential response to hormone therapy. Data obtained from this study, on treatment effectiveness, side effect profiles, recurrence of symptoms, compliance with therapy and drop-out rates, will be used to design a large-scale clinical trial.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Women with laparoscopy-confirmed endometriosis within the past 6 years
- Experiencing chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea (painful periods) and dyspareunia (painful intercourse), at least one of which is moderate to severe
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Use of traditional Chinese medicine for endometriosis. If previous treatment with hormone therapy, must have responded positively but not have been on hormone therapy within the past 6 months
- Use of any form of hormone-based contraception during the 12-week treatment and 24-week follow-up periods
- Diagnosed with any chronic condition other than endometriosis, or any other acute condition that causes pain
- Pregnancy or breast feeding
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Acupuncture | Procedure or surgery | – |
| Chinese Products | Drug | – |
| Nafarelin | Drug | – |
Primary outcome
Pain assessments
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Jan 2008.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Richard Hammerschlag, PhD principal investigator
Oregon College of Oriental Medicine
Kenneth Burry, MD principal investigator
Oregon Health and Science University
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A Phase 1/2 study testing Acupuncture, Chinese Products and Nafarelin in people with Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain, run by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) at 2 sites in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Jan 2008. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
What does this combined phase mean?
Phase 1 studies test a treatment in a small group of people for the first time or in a new way, mainly to check safety and find the right dose.
Phase 2 studies give the treatment to a larger group to see whether it has the intended effect and to keep checking safety.
Not every study follows the same path, and some studies (observational studies, device studies) have no phase.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Pain assessments. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Jan 2008; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 6 Nov 2026.