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CompletedNCT00104546Updated Jan 25, 2008

Vitamin K Injections for the Treatment of Painful Menstruation

A Phase 1 interventional study of Acupuncture point injection of vitamin K in Dysmenorrhea, sponsored by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). Completed at 1 site in China. Open to female participants aged 14 Years to 25 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2008-01-25.

Sponsored by National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) · Phase 1, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
36
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
14 Years to 25 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility and effectiveness of vitamin K injections into certain body parts for the treatment of painful menstruation.

Read the detailed description

Painful menstruation, also known as dysmenorrhea, is a common problem affecting a significant percentage of women. In the United States and Europe, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and oral contraceptives are the most commonly prescribed treatments for this condition. However, in China, oral contraceptives are not commonly prescribed for unmarried women. Acu-injection, a procedure involving the injection of vitamin K into acupuncture points, has become standard treatment for dysmenorrhea at many Chinese health care facilities. This trial will assess the willingness of young Chinese women to participate in an acu-injection trial, explore the utility of pain measurements after injection, and determine the effectiveness of the injections. This study will also help in planning larger acu-injection clinical trials.

This study will last for five menstrual cycles. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. Group 1 participants will receive a vitamin K3 injection in an acupuncture point of both legs and a saline injection in the right buttock. Group 2 participants will receive a saline injection in an acupuncture point of both legs and a saline injection in the right buttock. Group 3 participants will receive a saline injection in a pseudo-acupuncture point of both legs and a vitamin K3 injection in the right buttock. Injections will be administered one time during the first 2 days of the first menstrual cycle for participants who are experiencing menstrual pain. Participants will record their level of menstrual pain before injection and at 2, 5, 30 and 60 minutes after the injections. Participants who do not respond to or are not satisfied with the acu-injection treatment will be offered either Chinese herbal medicine or NSAIDs within 1 hour of the injection. After the injection visit, participants will be asked to complete questionnaires about any menstrual pain or side effects they may be experiencing for five subsequent menstrual cycles.

02

Conditions studied

  • Dysmenorrhea

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Keywords

  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Acupuncture
  • Vitamin K
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Women
  • Menstruation
  • Pain, Menstrual
  • China
03

In context

Dysmenorrhea

398 studies on the registry are indexed under Dysmenorrhea; 96 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 36 is below the median of 60 across 333 interventional studies indexed under Dysmenorrhea.

Browse Dysmenorrhea studies →

Lead sponsor

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) is the lead sponsor of 218 studies on the registry; 7 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
14 Years to 25 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Dysmenorrhea for at least 6 months prior to study entry
  • Have never been pregnant or have given birth
  • Mandarin Chinese or Shanghainese speaking
  • Regular menstrual cycles for at least 6 months prior to diagnosis of dysmenorrhea
  • Has a working home phone or cellular phone
  • Willing to disclose address
  • Intends to stay in the area during the study
  • Parent or guardian willing to provide informed consent, if applicable

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Dysmenorrhea due to any suspected or recognized causes
  • Current use of hormonal contraceptives or an intrauterine device
  • History of abdominal surgery
  • Other concomitant therapy for acute or chronic pain
  • Anticoagulant drugs
  • Vitamin K acu-injections at leg acupuncture points prior to study entry
  • Intolerance to NSAIDs
  • Known allergy to vitamin K
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 1
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single
Enrollment
36 participants

Interventions

  • ProcedureAcupuncture point injection of vitamin K
06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Intensity of menstrual pain before and 2, 5, 30, and 60 minutes after treatment by a 10 point Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

  2. presence and severity of recurrences of menstrual pain pre- and post-treatment and in 5 subsequent cycles after therapy

  3. Cox retrospective symptom scale

  4. Moos score

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Menstrual Disorder Clinic of the OBS/GYN Hospital of Fudan University
    Shanghai, China
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Wade C, Wang L, Zhao WJ, Cardini F, Kronenberg F, Gui SQ, Ying Z, Zhao NQ, Chao MT, Yu J. Acupuncture point injection treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea: a randomised, double blind, controlled study. BMJ Open. 2016 Jan 5;6(1):e008166. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-008166. PubMed 26733563 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 25, 2008, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00104546
Lead sponsor
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)
First posted
Mar 2, 2005
Start date
Sep 2004
Primary completion
Mar 2006
Completion
Mar 2006
Last update
Jan 25, 2008

Study contacts

Fredi Kronenberg, PhD
principal investigator · Columbia University
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2008. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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