Acupuncture for Post COVID-19 Condition (Long COVID) Neuropsychiatric Symptoms

Launched by HONG KONG BAPTIST UNIVERSITY · Oct 8, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at how acupuncture might help people who are experiencing neuropsychiatric symptoms after having COVID-19, a condition often referred to as Long COVID. The study will last for 12 weeks and is designed to see if acupuncture can effectively reduce these symptoms, which can include issues like anxiety, depression, or memory problems. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either acupuncture or a placebo treatment, meaning they won't know which one they are getting, helping to ensure the results are fair and unbiased.

To be eligible for this trial, participants must be between the ages of 12 and 80 and have been diagnosed with Long COVID by the World Health Organization. They should have had no neuropsychiatric symptoms before their COVID-19 infection and must continue to experience at least one symptom for two months after their COVID test came back negative. It's important to note that individuals with a history of certain medical conditions, such as serious heart problems or chronic mental health issues, may not qualify. If you join the study, you'll be expected to follow specific study procedures and complete assessments throughout the trial. This research aims to provide valuable insights into non-drug treatments for Long COVID, potentially benefiting many others in the future.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • meet the clinical diagnosis of Long COVID by the World Health Organization (WHO), with no neuropsychiatric symptoms 1 year before infection with Covid-19, and continue to have at least one neuropsychiatric symptom for 2 months after SARS-CoV-2 turned negative 3 months above;
• • aged 12 to 80 years;
• • willing and able to consent, and complete all assessment and study procedures
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • patients with a history of chronic neuropsychiatric symptoms;
• • cardiovascular diseases pre-existing to the Covid-19 episode such as arrhythmia, heart failure, myocardial infarction, and patients with cardiac pacemakers;
• • documented pre-existing history of psychiatric illness, including substance abuse;
• • suicidal tendencies (attempted suicide in the 12 months before the study);
• • any chronic or remote neurological disorder (i.e. stroke, head trauma, epilepsy, tumor);
• • those who participated in other clinical trials within one month;
• • pregnant or lactating female patients;
• • have surgery within two months before the study or will have a scheduled surgery during the study;
• • acute brain injury or acute encephalopathy from another etiology than Covid-19 (e.g., sepsis, liver or renal failure, alcohol or drug withdrawal, drug toxicity);
• • open-heart cardiac surgery or cardiac arrest during the last 6 months;
• • patients who received acupuncture treatment 1 month before the start of the study;
• • patients who were unable to complete the assessment during screening due to severe mental, cognitive, or emotional impairment