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Completed

NCT Number: NCT07789418

Thread-Embedding Acupuncture Versus Electroacupuncture for Mild-to-Moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

This study compared thread-embedding acupuncture with electroacupuncture for adults with mild-to-moderate carpal tunnel syndrome confirmed by electrodiagnosis. Eighty participants were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either thread-embedding acupuncture or electroacupuncture. Both groups also received standard care, including lifestyle modification, nocturnal wrist splinting, nerve and tendon gliding exercises, and paracetamol as needed. Thread-embedding acupuncture was administered twice over two weeks, whereas electroacupuncture was administered 10 times over the same period. Participants were assessed at baseline, week 2, and week 4. The primary outcome was the change in paresthesia intensity from baseline to week 4, measured using a 100-mm visual analog scale. Secondary outcomes included pain intensity, symptom severity, functional status, paracetamol use, and adverse events.

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Key information

Conditions

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Cumulative Trauma Disorders Median Neuropathy Mononeuropathies Nerve Compression Syndromes Nervous System Diseases Neuromuscular Diseases Peripheral Nervous System Diseases Sprains and Strains Wounds and Injuries

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

University Medical Center Ho Chi Minh City - Campus 3

Ho Chi Minh City, 70000, Vietnam

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18 years or older.
  • Primary diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome with pain and paresthesia, confirmed by electrodiagnosis and classified as mild or moderate severity.
  • Unilateral carpal tunnel syndrome involving either the right or left hand.
  • Voluntary written informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion criteria

  • Structural wrist damage due to previous surgery or trauma.
  • History of carpal tunnel syndrome surgery.
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome with an indication for surgical treatment.
  • Concomitant cervical radiculopathy, brachial plexopathy, proximal median neuropathy, other upper-limb neuropathies, or polyneuropathy confirmed by electrodiagnosis.
  • Systemic inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis, or psoriatic arthritis.
  • Hypothyroidism.
  • Unstable or untreated severe health conditions, including end-stage renal failure, severe hepatic failure, or NYHA class IV heart failure.
  • Use of anti-inflammatory medications within two weeks before enrollment.
  • Alcohol or substance abuse.
  • Pregnancy or lactation.
  • History of allergy, anaphylaxis, or contraindications to thread-embedding acupuncture or electroacupuncture, including emergency conditions, cachexia, local skin infections or dermatological diseases at acupoint sites, or allergy to absorbable sutures.
  • Current treatment with anticoagulant drugs or diagnosed coagulation disorders.

Treatment and study plan

Thread-Embedding Acupuncture

Procedure

Thread-embedding acupuncture was administered twice over two weeks, at baseline and week 1. Sterile polydioxanone thread-embedding needles were inserted at PC4, PC6, PC7, PC8, LI4, LI5, LU10, LU6, HT7, and TE5. The device consisted of a sterile 31-G stainless-steel cannula with a 30-mm needle shaft and a 30-mm polydioxanone thread folded in half, corresponding to an embedded thread length of approximately 15 mm. The thread was placed within the muscle layer and left in situ after withdrawal of the needle.

electroacupuncture

Procedure

Electroacupuncture was administered once daily, five times per week for two weeks, for a total of 10 sessions. Sterile disposable needles were inserted at PC4, PC6, PC7, PC8, LI4, LI5, LU10, LU6, HT7, and TE5. Continuous biphasic rectangular pulses with alternating frequencies of 2/100 Hz every 3 seconds and a pulse width of 0.2 ms were delivered for 20 minutes. Stimulation intensity was adjusted within 2-5 mA according to participant tolerance.

Standard care

Other

Both treatment groups received standard care throughout the four-week study period, including lifestyle modification to avoid wrist flexion and strain, nocturnal wrist splinting, daily nerve and tendon gliding exercises, and paracetamol 500 mg as needed for intolerable pain with a minimum four-hour interval between doses.

Primary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline in Paresthesia Visual Analog Scale Score at Week 4

    Time frame: Baseline to Week 4

    Paresthesia intensity was measured using a self-reported 100-mm visual analog scale ranging from 0 mm, representing no symptom, to 100 mm, representing the worst imaginable symptom. The outcome was the change in paresthesia-VAS score from baseline to week 4.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change From Baseline in Paresthesia Visual Analog Scale Score at Week 2

    Time frame: Baseline to Week 2

    Paresthesia intensity was measured using a self-reported 100-mm visual analog scale ranging from 0 mm, representing no symptom, to 100 mm, representing the worst imaginable symptom. The outcome was the change in paresthesia-VAS score from baseline to week 2.

  2. Change From Baseline in Pain Visual Analog Scale Score

    Time frame: Baseline to Week 2 and Week 4

    Pain intensity was measured using a 100-mm visual analog scale ranging from 0 mm, representing no pain, to 100 mm, representing the worst imaginable pain. The outcome was the change in pain-VAS score from baseline.

  3. Change From Baseline in Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire Scores

    Time frame: Baseline to Week 2 and Week 4

    The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire consists of the Symptom Severity Scale (SSS) and Functional Status Scale (FSS). The SSS includes 11 items scored from 1 to 5, with a total score ranging from 11 to 55. The FSS includes 8 items scored from 1 to 5, with a total score ranging from 8 to 40. The overall BCTQ score was calculated as the sum of the SSS and FSS scores, ranging from 19 to 95. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity and functional impairment.

  4. Weekly Paracetamol Consumption

    Time frame: Weekly during the 4-week study period

    Rescue paracetamol use was recorded as the number of 500-mg tablets consumed per week.

  5. Adverse Events

    Time frame: From baseline through Week 4

    Adverse events occurring during the study were monitored and recorded, including events such as ecchymosis and localized pain associated with the acupuncture procedures.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City

Other

Collaborators

  • Hoang Binh Trading Services Co., Ltd

Registry information

Official study title

Thread-Embedding Acupuncture Versus Electroacupuncture for Mild-to-Moderate Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: An Assessor-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Aug 27, 2026
Registry last updated
Aug 27, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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