Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable

A Study of Acupuncture for Treating Asthma

180 participantsStarted 2026-05-21

Plain-language summary

Asthma is a common chronic respiratory disease with a low clinical control rate, highlighting the need for novel therapeutic strategies. Recurrent asthma attacks emotional symptoms, such as anxiety and depression, etc. On the contrary, symptoms such as anxiety and depression worsen asthma control. Acupuncture is commonly applied as an effective traditional Chinese medical therapy for asthma. Acupoints GV14, BL13 and BL12 are adopted for the intervention of asthma. GV20 and GV29 are selected to improve emotional symptoms including depression. Nevertheless, standardized therapeutic regimens of acupuncture for asthma and its concomitant emotional symptoms are still lacking. 180 patients with mild to moderate asthma will be recruited in this multicenter randomized controlled trial, randomly assigned to the true acupuncture group, sham acupuncture group and usual care group. The primary outcome is the score of the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Secondary outcomes include the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ), pulmonary function, and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). The superiority of combined acupuncture therapy in improving asthma control, relieving negative emotions, and enhancing quality of life is to be verified in this study, with high quality evidence for acupuncture treatment of asthma thereby to be provided.

Who can participate

Age range

18 Years – 70 Years

Sex

ALL

See this in plain English?

AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Meet the diagnostic criteria for asthma, and be in the chronic persistent phase with mild to moderate disease severity, referring to the grading criteria of the Guidelines for the Prevention and Treatment of Asthma (2024 Edition). * Aged 18 to 70 years, regardless of gender. * Asthma Control Test (ACT) score≤19 points (poorly controlled or very poorly controlled asthma). * Maintain a stable asthma treatment regimen for at least 4 weeks before enrollment. * Clear thinking and consciousness, coherent responses, able to understand the items of various scales and complete the assessment. * Volunteer to participate in this study and sign a written informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: * Complicated with severe mental illnesses (such as uncontrolled schizophrenia, acute phase of bipolar disorder, etc.) or moderate to severe cognitive impairment (such as dementia), resulting in inability to understand the research process or cooperate with efficacy evaluation. * A history of substance/alcohol dependence within the past 12 months. * Complicated with other physical diseases that may cause depressive symptoms (such as hypothyroidism, chronic pain syndrome, malignant tumors, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.). * Received antidepressant drug treatment within the past 6 months. * Suffering from other respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, pulmonary fibrosis, etc. * Complicated with other cancers or relatively seve…

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1This trial is studying acupuncture as a treatment for chronic asthma and it's not yet recruiting — do you think this type of intervention would be worth waiting for, or should we focus on adjusting my current asthma medications in the meantime?
2The trial measures success using the Asthma Control Test, which tracks day-to-day symptom control — based on where I currently score on that test, do you think I'd be a meaningful candidate to benefit from a study like this?
3Since this study is listed as Phase NA, which often applies to non-drug interventions like acupuncture, what does that mean for how much we already know about its safety and effectiveness for asthma compared to standard treatments?
4Acupuncture would likely require regular in-person sessions — given my current health status and daily routine, do you think the time and logistical commitment of a trial like this would be realistic for me?
5Would participating in an acupuncture trial conflict with or limit changes to my existing asthma medications, and is that something we'd need to plan around before considering enrolling??

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Asthma Control Test (ACT)

Timeframe: Change from baseline to week 4 (end of treatment)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT07611955

SponsorShanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2028-03

Contact for this trial

Lei-Miao Yin, MD

+86 21 56639828 collegeylm@shutcm.edu.cn

View on ClinicalTrials.gov More Asthma Chronic trials