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AzTrials

Autistic DisorderPhase 3NCT00352248

Randomized Controlled Trial of Acupuncture Versus Sham Acupuncture in Autistic Spectrum Disorder

A Phase 3 study testing Tongue Acupuncture (Procedure) in people with Autistic Disorder and Autism, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

We aim to study the efficacy of Acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in children with ASD. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 3 to 11 years
Conditions the study is for
Autistic Disorder, Autism
What is being tested?
Tongue Acupuncture (Procedure)
Type of treatment
Surgery or procedure
How many people
50 participants
Where
1 siteHong Kong
Study dates
Start not givento not given
Phase
Phase 3
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 3 to 11 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Subjects with diagnosis of autism made according to the criteria of the 4th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) and Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised and with a score for Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) greater than 30.

Who cannot join

  • Children with associated neurological disorders and epilepsy.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Hong Kong1 site
  • Duchess of Kent of Children Hospital

    Hong Kong

Other trials in Hong Kong

About this study

We aim to study the efficacy of Acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in children with ASD.

Read the detailed description

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) philosophy, the approach to Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a holistic one. The objective is to study the efficacy of a short intensive course of Acupuncture versus sham acupuncture in improving the overall functional status of children with autism. A single-blind randomized control trial was conducted in 50 children. These children were randomly assigned to Treatment group with Tongue Acupuncture (40 sessions over 8 weeks) or Control group (Sham Tongue Acupuncture to non-acupoints in the tongue).

Being tested
Tongue Acupuncture (Procedure)
Keywords
Alternative Medicine (AM), Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tongue Acupuncture, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Autism, Children
Medical subject headings
Autistic Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Tongue Acupuncture (Procedure)Procedure or surgery

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale (GMDS) was conducted before (at Week 0) and after (at Week 9) acupuncture.

  2. Ritvo-Freeman Real Life Scale (RFRLS) was conducted before (at Week 0) and after (at Week 9) acupuncture.

  3. Reynell Language Developmental Scale (RLDS) was conducted before (at Week 0) and after (at Week 9) acupuncture.

  4. Symbolic Play Test (SPT) was conducted before (at Week 0) and after (at Week 9) acupuncture.

  5. Functional Independence Measure for children (WeeFIM) was conducted before (at Week 0) and after (at Week 9) acupuncture.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted14 Jul 2006 (estimated)

Resources

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 3
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Enrolment
50 participants
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT00352248
Sponsor's protocol ID
9608944339555027
Status last verified
Jul 1999
First submitted
13 Jul 2006
Last updated
14 Jul 2006
Results posted
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A Phase 3 study testing Tongue Acupuncture (Procedure) in people with Autistic Disorder and Autism, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

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 1 inclusion and 1 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 14 Jul 2006. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. 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 phase mean?

Phase 3 studies compare the treatment with the current standard treatment or a placebo in a large group, to confirm how well it works and watch for side effects.

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?

Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale (GMDS) was conducted before (at Week 0) and after (at Week 9) acupuncture.. The study lists 5 primary outcomes in all. 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 14 Jul 2006.

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