NCT05764447

Combined Qigong and Acupressure for Improving Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Improving Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy in Cancer Patients Using a Combined Qigong Baduanjin and Self-administered Acupressure Intervention: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 110 (actual)
• Sponsor: The University of Hong Kong · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The objective of the study is to investigate the effects of a 16-week combined qigong and acupressure intervention on reducing self-reported chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) severity, objective measures of CIPN severity, lower-extremity functioning, handgrip strength, fall incidence, and health-related quality of life post-intervention among post-chemotherapy adult cancer patients. This will be a 2-arm assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial that will follow the CONSORT guidelines. A total of 104 cancer patients aged ≥18 who have completed neurotoxic chemotherapy at least 1 month prior to enrolment and experiencing CIPN will be recruited and randomized into combined qigong and self-administered acupressure intervention and wait-list control groups. The intervention group comprises of twice-weekly supervised group sessions and three times-weekly self-practice prescription (30 min each time) on days without group sessions. The control group will be offered a free modality of their choice after the last follow-up. The participants will receive usual care alone during the study period.

Detailed description

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is one of the most common side effects of chemotherapy experiencing by cancer patients. CIPN can lead to significant distress, diminished health-related quality of life, functional decline, and an increased risk of falls in cancer patients, as they may experience altered proprioception. CIPN may continue to progress for several months post-treatment or even persist for years following chemotherapy. Current pharmacological approaches are limited not only by side effects (e.g., fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, or nausea) but also by patients' unwillingness to further medicate a drug-related side effect. Also, the drugs may treat pain but not non-painful CIPN symptoms, and cannot induce neuro-protection or neuro-regeneration. Non-pharmacological interventions may be more appealing to patients, as they usually have no side effects and may result in clinical benefits for CIPN sufferers. Acupressure is a non-invasive variant of acupuncture both adopting the meridian theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that stimulate acupoints across meridians and facilitate the flow of qi (energy) and blood, thereby restoring health and treating disease. Qigong is a mind-body exercise also rooted in the meridian theory of TCM. Through a combination of movement, breath control, and meditation, meridians can be opened, and the flow of qi and blood stimulated, to restore health. The combination approach is likely to elicit complementary physiologic adaptations on mechanisms involving both the peripheral and central nervous systems, thereby inducing a larger and potentially clinically meaningful improvement on CIPN.

Conditions

• Cancer
• Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Combined qigong Baduanjin and self-administered acupressure	The intervention will combine Baduanjin (BQ) and acupressure. The general design of the combination intervention is for BQ to be performed first (20 min), followed by self-administered acupressure (10 min). BQ comprises eight simple standardized movements. The combination of these simple body movements, breath control, and mindful meditation is designed to improve qi function.The acupressure protocol comprises six acupoints, i.e., Hegu, Quchi, Zusanli, Sanyinjiao, Qihai, and Taichong, which are the most commonly used acupoints in acupuncture trials for relieving CIPN according to previous reviews. These acupoints, based on TCM theory, are beneficial for strengthening the origin of qi and directing its flow to the upper and lower extremities. A massage pen will be used to stimulate the acupoints because participants with CIPN may have difficulty applying pressure with their hands/fingers.
BEHAVIORAL	Wait-list Control	The participants will receive usual care alone during the study period and will be offered the training after the last follow-up.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-03-10
• Primary completion: 2025-03-31
• Completion: 2025-03-31
• First posted: 2023-03-10
• Last updated: 2025-05-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Hong Kong