Effects of Acupuncture on Sjögren's Syndrome

The present study is designed as a 24-month, single centre, double-blind, randomized, controlled, two-arm clinical trial (acupuncture and control). The research will be conducted following the CONSORT recommendations and the STRICTA extension. The study care protocol will consist in acupuncture or control intervention at the selected acupoints (R6, E6,E2, Ig4, VC24, TA23, B2) for 8 weeks, 20 minutes sessions with 12 weeks of follow up. Complementary clinical approaches (sialometry, sialochemistry, Schirmer test, staining with topical lissamine green), and the questionnaires (OHIP-14, Eular Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), Xerostomia Inventory, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) will be performed in weeks 1, 8 and 12. The control group will consist of superficial acupuncture, or placebo, or sham. After all interventions and evaluation methods completed, data will be analyzed for their distribution and homogeneity in order to choose the most appropriate statistical test.

Inclusion criteria

• Adults ≥ 18 years old, both genres, who consent to participate of the study
• Patients who were diagnosed with SJ according to the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology and the European League against Rheumatism

Exclusion criteria

• Patients who have undergone head and neck radiation therapy;
• Patients with a history of neoplasias and salivary gland infections;
• Patients with acquired immunodeficiency virus infection, sarcoidosis, viral hepatitis, diabetes mellitus and smokers;
• Patients with inability to undergo total saliva collection by established techniques;
• Patients who can not attend regular acupuncture sessions;
• Patients who had a change in the dosage of medications in use within 6 weeks before the start of the study.
• Patients who received acupuncture therapy up to 6 weeks prior to the start of the study.