Circadian Based Acupressure Therapy on Post-stroke Fatigue, Depression, and Sleep Disturbances in Ischemic Stroke Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation

Status: Recruiting
Location: See all (2) locations...
Intervention Type: Behavioral
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) was defined as 'a subjective feeling of physical and/or mental exhaustion that is unrelated to exertion and does not typically improve with rest'. About 25\ 85% of first stoke patients had PSF in the first year. Literature review from animal studies suggested the mechanism of post-stroke fatigue may be due to prolonged production of inflammatory cytokines process after stroke. Acupuncture therapy which regulates the inflammatory process may have the potential to ameliorate fatigue symptoms alone with sleep disturbance after stroke. Acupressure which stimulating the same acupoints by manually pressure may make it easy to perform in anytime and anywhere. The effect of circadian based acupressure application on post-stroke fatigue and sleep disturbances need be further examined. The purpose of this two-year study is to (1) explore the distribution of inflammatory cytokines (blood and urine IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8) and post-stroke fatigue and sleep, and (2) examine the effect of circadian-based acupressure application on the inflammatory cytokines (urine and blood IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8), and post-stroke symptoms fatigue and sleep) in ischemic stroke patients with post-stroke fatigue during rehabilitation. Ischemic stroke patients (N=240) will be assessed from the rehabilitation wards. Patients with fatigue (FAS\>=24) at assessment (n=78) will be further randomly assigned to the circadian based acupressure application group (AA), or the routine care control group (RC) for 2 weeks. Data of inflammatory cytokines (of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8), post-stroke fatigue (Fatigue assessment scale), and sleep (Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index and consumer tracker) will be collected. Descriptive statistics, t-test, repeated measure ANOVA, linear/logistic regression or appropriate nonparametric equivalent will be used to compare pre-post differences and to compare differences between groups. Study results will provide information about the mechanism and effect of acupressure application on inflammation and post-stroke fatigue and sleep disturbances in ischemic stroke patients.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: All
Minimum Age: 50
Maximum Age: 95
Healthy Volunteers: f
View:

• Ages 50 years old and above, both sex.

• Diagnosed with stroke, ischemic.

• Consciousness clear (GCS\>=13)

• Stable vital signs and neurological functional status with no or controlled complications (e.g., infection or gastrointestinal bleeding).

• With fatigue (FAS \>=24)

Locations
Other Locations
Taiwan
China Medical University Hospital
RECRUITING
Taichung
China Medical University Hospital Taichung East Branch
RECRUITING
Taichung
Contact Information
Primary
Wen-Chun Liao, PhD
wcl@mail.cmu.edu.tw
+886-4-22053366
Backup
Li-Wei Chou, PhD
chouliwe@gmail.com
+886-4-22052121
Time Frame
Start Date: 2023-09-14
Estimated Completion Date: 2025-07-31
Participants
Target number of participants: 78
Treatments
Experimental: Acupressure application ( AA ) group
Patients in the AA group will have the circadian based acupressure application twice a day, 5 days per week for 2 weeks. Acupressure application will be performed in the morning after one hour of breakfast and in the evening 1-2 hour before bedtime by a nurse well-trained with Chinese medicine nursing during the first week.
No_intervention: Routine care control (RC) group
Patients in the RC group will get routine care as usual for rehabilitation. The ambient light at night will keep as dark or dim (\<30 lux) as well. The same education program for circadian-based life style as the AA group will be provided to patients and caregivers too.
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Collaborators: National Science and Technology Council
Leads: China Medical University Hospital

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov