Exploration on the Relationship Between Distinct Sarcopenia, Traditional Chinese Medicine Body Constitution, and Circadian Rhythm Patterns of Older Adults and Impact of Acupoint-stimulated Interventions
1 other identifier
interventional
360
1 country
1
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and impact of digital/remote courses combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) acupoint-stimulated interventions, health education, and exercise on sarcopenia and sleep disturbances across distinct age groups. By integrating multidisciplinary expertise encompassing TCM, geriatric medicine, geriatric health, community medicine, and epidemiology at Ministry of Health and Welfare Tainan Hospital, this project aims to explore the correlations among sarcopenia, sleep conditions, and TCM body constitution, while evaluating the feasibility of incorporating the simplified Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ) into anti-frailty screenings to establish an evidence-based, TCM-integrated intervention model. A total of at least 360 participants will be recruited at Ministry of Health and Welfare Tainan Hospital across two distinct operational phases. In the first phase, a comprehensive cross-sectional assessment will be conducted on 300 older adults aged 65 and above to establish a geriatric TCM body constitution database, utilizing 7-day actigraphy, scientific tongue and pulse diagnosis, the BCQ, and standard geriatric functional assessment scales (including SARC-F, Fried frailty index, ADL, IADL, WHOQOL-BREF, EQ-5D, mini nutritional assessment, ISI, PSQI, and ECOG score), with eligible and consenting participants referred for overnight polysomnography (PSG) based on physician assessment. In the second phase, longitudinal interventional trials will be executed with 180 participants divided into three specific cohorts. The sarcopenia cohort, comprising 60 older adults aged 65 and above, will undergo a 3-month intervention combining acupoint massage and the Vivifrail exercise program, with data evaluated at baseline, month 1, and month 3, followed by a final tracking period extending to month 4. The geriatric sleep disturbance cohort (60 older adults aged 65 and above) and the adult sleep disturbance cohort (60 younger adults aged 20-64), all presenting with a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score of 5 or higher, will participate in a 2-week curriculum consisting of sleep-related self-acupoint massage and sleep hygiene education, with clinical follow-ups scheduled at baseline, week 2, and week 6, a final tracking assessment at week 7, and intervention compliance monitoring conducted at week 3.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started May 2023
Longer than P75 for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
May 19, 2023
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
July 16, 2026
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
July 20, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
December 31, 2027
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
December 31, 2027
July 27, 2026
July 1, 2026
4.6 years
July 16, 2026
July 23, 2026
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Change from Baseline in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Score (Range: 0-21, Higher Scores Indicate Poorer Sleep Quality)
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a self-reported questionnaire used to evaluate sleep quality. It consists of 19 individual items, generating 7 component scores that each range from 0 to 3. The total global score ranges from 0 to 21, where the minimum score is 0 and the maximum score is 21. Higher total global scores indicate poorer sleep quality.
Baseline, Week 2, Week 3, Week 6, and Week 7
Study Arms (6)
Arm A: Vivifrail + Acupoint Massage
EXPERIMENTALOlder adults aged 65 and above with sarcopenia who receive the 12-week Vivifrail exercise program (45-60 minutes per session, daily) combined with traditional Chinese medicine acupoint massage. Longitudinal data tracking is conducted at baseline, month 1, month 3, and month 4.
Arm B: Vivifrail Only
ACTIVE COMPARATOROlder adults aged 65 and above with sarcopenia who receive the 12-week Vivifrail exercise program alone (45-60 minutes per session, daily) without the acupoint massage component. Longitudinal data tracking is conducted at baseline, month 1, month 3, and month 4.
Arm C: Geriatric Sleep Education + Acupoint Massage
EXPERIMENTALOlder adults aged 65 and above with sleep disturbances (PSQI \>= 5) who receive a 2-week digital course on sleep hygiene education combined with sleep-related self-acupoint massage (20-30 minutes per week). Data are evaluated at baseline, week 2, week 3, week 6, and week 7.
Arm D: Geriatric Sleep Education Only
ACTIVE COMPARATOROlder adults aged 65 and above with sleep disturbances (PSQI \>= 5) who receive the 2-week digital course on sleep hygiene education alone (20-30 minutes per week) without self-acupoint massage. Data are evaluated at baseline, week 2, week 3, week 6, and week 7.
Arm E: Adult Sleep Education Only
ACTIVE COMPARATORYounger adults aged 20-64 with sleep disturbances (PSQI \>= 5) who receive the 2-week digital course on sleep hygiene education alone (20-30 minutes per week) without self-acupoint massage. Data are evaluated at baseline, week 2, week 3, week 6, and week 7.
Arm F: Adult Sleep Education + Acupoint Massage
EXPERIMENTALYounger adults aged 20-64 with sleep disturbances (PSQI \>= 5) who receive the 2-week digital course on sleep hygiene education combined with sleep-related self-acupoint massage (20-30 minutes per week). Data are evaluated at baseline, week 2, week 3, week 6, and week 7.
Interventions
A 2-week digital/remote curriculum focusing on sleep hygiene education and sleep-related self-care guidelines.
A 12-week customized multicomponent physical exercise program designed for frailty prevention and physical function enhancement.
A comprehensive cross-sectional assessment for 300 older adults, including 7-day actigraphy, scientific tongue and pulse diagnosis, the simplified Body Constitution Questionnaire (BCQ), and standard geriatric functional assessment scales. Eligible and consenting participants are referred for overnight polysomnography (PSG).
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Participants must be able to understand and sign the informed consent form.
- For the geriatric cohorts: Individuals aged 65 and above.
- For the adult cohort: Individuals aged between 20 and 64.
- For the sleep disturbance cohorts: Presenting with a Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) score of 5 or higher.
- For the sarcopenia cohort: Evaluated and diagnosed with sarcopenia according to standard geriatric metrics.
You may not qualify if:
- Individuals with severe cognitive impairment, advanced dementia, or inability to communicate and follow instructions.
- Individuals with unstable medical conditions, acute cardiovascular events, or severe systemic diseases that preclude safe participation in exercise programs.
- Individuals with open wounds, active infections, or fractures at the targeted acupoint areas.
- Any other conditions that, in the judgment of the investigator, would jeopardize candidate safety or compliance.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
Ministry of Health and Welfare Tainan Hospital
Tainan, Taiwan
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- SINGLE
- Who Masked
- OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
- Purpose
- SUPPORTIVE CARE
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Attending Physician
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
July 16, 2026
First Posted
July 20, 2026
Study Start
May 19, 2023
Primary Completion (Estimated)
December 31, 2027
Study Completion (Estimated)
December 31, 2027
Last Updated
July 27, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-07
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share