NCT00000817

Brief Summary

To evaluate the separate and combined efficacy of a standardized acupuncture regimen and amitriptyline on the relief of pain due to peripheral neuropathy and on the quality of life of HIV-infected patients. Both amitriptyline, an antidepressant, and acupuncture, a Chinese medical approach that uses needles to relieve pain, have been used successfully to reduce pain in some people. It is not known how effectively these approaches relieve or reduce pain in patients with peripheral neuropathy secondary to HIV infection.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
260

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable hiv-infections

Timeline
Completed

Started Nov 1994

Geographic Reach
1 country

11 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

November 1, 1994

Completed
2.5 years until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 1, 1997

Completed
2.5 years until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

November 2, 1999

Completed
1.8 years until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 31, 2001

Completed
Last Updated

November 3, 2021

Status Verified

October 1, 2021

First QC Date

November 2, 1999

Last Update Submit

October 27, 2021

Conditions

Keywords

Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeAIDS-Related ComplexPeripheral Nervous System DiseasesAmitriptylinePainAcupuncture Therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

  • Change in intensity of pain as measured by the daily pain diary and the global pain relief rating

    At Weeks 6 and 14

  • Change in quality life

    Throughout study

  • Change in neurological status

    Throughout study

  • Permanent discontinuation of study treatment due to treatment failure

    Throughout study

Study Arms (1)

1

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive standardized or alternate point acupuncture treatment twice weekly for the first 6 weeks, then once weekly for the next 8 weeks, plus either oral amitriptyline or placebo daily for the entire 14 weeks.

Drug: Amitriptyline hydrochlorideDrug: Amitriptyline hydrochloride placeboProcedure: Point acupuncture

Interventions

75 mg oral tablet taken daily

1

Oral placebo tablet taken daily

1

Standardized or alternate acupuncture procedure

1

Eligibility Criteria

Age13 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Concurrent Medication:
  • Allowed:
  • Antiretroviral therapy.
  • Nonsystemic treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma.
  • Maintenance with an existing regimen of analgesic medication or herbal treatment.
  • Concurrent Treatment: Required:
  • Acupuncture.
  • Patients must have:
  • HIV infection.
  • Lower extremity peripheral neuropathy secondary to HIV infection.
  • Pain for at least 2 weeks prior to study entry.
  • Life expectancy of at least 6 months.
  • NOTE:
  • Co-enrollment in other experimental protocols is permitted as long as dual participation is allowed in those protocols.
  • Prior Medication:
  • +2 more criteria

You may not qualify if:

  • Co-existing Condition:
  • Patients with the following symptoms or conditions are excluded:
  • Known allergy to amitriptyline (not applicable for patients at sites using an acupuncture only study design).
  • EKG indicating malignant arrhythmia or cardiac conduction disturbances (not applicable for patients at sites using an acupuncture only study design).
  • Prison incarceration.
  • Concurrent Medication:
  • Excluded:
  • Active treatment for an acute opportunistic infection or malignancy (nonsystemic treatment of Kaposi's sarcoma is permitted).
  • Other tricyclic antidepressants.
  • MAO inhibitors.
  • Patients with the following prior conditions are excluded (not applicable for patients at sites using an acupuncture only study design):
  • History of cardiac disease.
  • History of seizure disorder.
  • Prior Medication:
  • Excluded within 2 weeks prior to study entry:
  • +2 more criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (11)

Community Consortium of San Francisco

San Francisco, California, 94110, United States

Location

Denver CPCRA / Denver Public Hlth

Denver, Colorado, 80204, United States

Location

Veterans Administration Med Ctr / Regional AIDS Program

Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20422, United States

Location

Baltimore Trials

Baltimore, Maryland, 21201, United States

Location

Comprehensive AIDS Alliance of Detroit

Detroit, Michigan, 48201, United States

Location

North Jersey Community Research Initiative

Newark, New Jersey, 07103, United States

Location

Partners Research

Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131, United States

Location

Clinical Directors Network of Region II

New York, New York, 10011, United States

Location

Harlem AIDS Treatment Group / Harlem Hosp Ctr

New York, New York, 10037, United States

Location

Portland Veterans Adm Med Ctr / Rsch & Education Grp

Portland, Oregon, 97210, United States

Location

Philadelphia FIGHT

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19107, United States

Location

Related Publications (2)

  • Chavez C. Prickly business. The finer points of acupuncture. Posit Aware. 1995 Jan-Feb:14-5.

    PMID: 11362204BACKGROUND
  • Shlay JC, Chaloner K, Max MB, Flaws B, Reichelderfer P, Wentworth D, Hillman S, Brizz B, Cohn DL. Acupuncture and amitriptyline for pain due to HIV-related peripheral neuropathy: a randomized controlled trial. Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS. JAMA. 1998 Nov 11;280(18):1590-5. doi: 10.1001/jama.280.18.1590.

    PMID: 9820261BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

HIV InfectionsPeripheral Nervous System DiseasesAcquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeAIDS-Related ComplexPain

Interventions

AmitriptylineAcupuncture Points

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Blood-Borne InfectionsCommunicable DiseasesInfectionsSexually Transmitted Diseases, ViralSexually Transmitted DiseasesLentivirus InfectionsRetroviridae InfectionsRNA Virus InfectionsVirus DiseasesGenital DiseasesUrogenital DiseasesImmunologic Deficiency SyndromesImmune System DiseasesNeuromuscular DiseasesNervous System DiseasesSlow Virus DiseasesNeurologic ManifestationsSigns and SymptomsPathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

DibenzocycloheptenesBenzocycloheptenesPolycyclic Aromatic HydrocarbonsHydrocarbons, AromaticHydrocarbons, CyclicHydrocarbonsOrganic ChemicalsPolycyclic CompoundsMeridiansAcupuncture TherapyComplementary TherapiesTherapeutics

Study Officials

  • Shlay J

    STUDY CHAIR
  • Flaws B

    STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
DOUBLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
SINGLE GROUP
Sponsor Type
NIH
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

November 2, 1999

First Posted

August 31, 2001

Study Start

November 1, 1994

Study Completion

May 1, 1997

Last Updated

November 3, 2021

Record last verified: 2021-10

Locations