Biophysical Assessments of Acupuncture Points in Inflammatory Bowel Disease

NCT07681895 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 2025P0024891K23AT013401-01
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 100
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

Acupuncture points or acupoints are fundamental to the practice of acupuncture, yet their scientific basis remains unclear. According to traditional explanations of acupuncture, acupoints can become tender or more sensitive to pressure when there is an underlying disease of the body. Findings from recent basic animal studies support this traditional theory. For example, compared to healthy control animals, models of colitis have shown increased skin temperature, blood flow, and pain sensitivity at specific body regions that correspond to the location of acupoints that are commonly used in acupuncture treatment for colitis. However, little is known about whether these findings apply to humans.

Conditions

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Keywords

Inflammatory bowel disease; IBD; Acupuncture point; Acupoint; Cutaneous neurogenic inflammation; Infrared thermography; Laser speckle contrast imaging; Pressure pain threshold

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Skin blood perfusion

  Comparisons of cutaneous blood perfusion at predefined regions or points of interest between IBD patients and healthy control participants, as measured by laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI). LSCI is a non-invasive imaging technique for assessing superficial tissue blood perfusion.

  1 day

• Skin temperature

  Comparisons of skin temperature at predefined regions or points of interest between IBD patients and healthy control participants, as measured by infrared thermography.

  1 day

• Pressure pain threshold

  Comparisons of pressure pain threshold (PPT) at predefined points of interest between IBD patients and healthy control participants, as measured by pressure algometry.

  1 day

Study Arms (2)

IBD

Adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This is a non-interventional study, involving noninvasive biophysical assessments of the skin in adults with IBD vs. healthy control participants.

Control

Healthy control participants. This is a non-interventional study, involving noninvasive biophysical assessments of the skin in adults with IBD vs. healthy control participants.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and healthy control participants will be enrolled into the study from the Greater Boston area.

You may qualify if:

• adults (age 18 years or older)
• clinical diagnosis of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease

You may not qualify if:

• any history of serious musculoskeletal or soft tissue injury of the lower and/or upper extremities
• presence of scarring or tattoo on the lower and/or upper extremities
• presence of serious cardiac diseases, severe dermatological conditions, peripheral neuropathy, infectious disease, psychological illnesses, or other serious co-morbidities (e.g., cancer)
• prior history of colostomy or ileostomy
• pregnancy
• \- adults (age 18 years or older) in good health conditions
• history of chronic inflammatory diseases, such as IBD
• severe digestive and/or intestinal conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• any history of serious musculoskeletal or soft tissue injury of the lower and/or upper extremities
• presence of scarring or tattoo on the lower and/or upper extremities
• presence of serious cardiac diseases, severe dermatological conditions, peripheral neuropathy, infectious disease, psychological illnesses, or other serious co-morbidities (e.g., cancer)
• pregnancy

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Brigham and Women's Hospital: lead
• National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH): collaborator

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Gastroenteritis; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Digestive System Diseases; Intestinal Diseases

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 27, 2026
• First Posted: July 2, 2026
• Study Start: August 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 30, 2027
• Last Updated: July 2, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06