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Status unknownNCT01389622Updated Nov 18, 2014

Effect of Self-administered Auricular Acupressure on Smoking Cessation-a Pilot Study

A Phase 2 interventional study of acupuncture and acupuncture in Smoking Cessation, sponsored by Queen's University. Status unknown at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2014-11-18.

Sponsored by Queen's University · Phase 2, Interventional, and Supportive care

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Mar 2014), so the status shown — last known as Recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Phase 2
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 75 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Auricular acupressure has been practiced in China and Germany to help people in smoking cessation programs. The purpose of this clinical trial is to test for the clinical effectiveness of self-administered auricular acupressure as a non-invasive method for smoking cessation.

Read the detailed description

Auricular acupressure has been practiced in China and Germany to help people in smoking cessation programs with varying degrees of success in different settings. The purpose of this clinical trial is to test for the clinical effectiveness of self-administered auricular acupressure as a non-invasive method for smoking cessation.

02

Conditions studied

  • Smoking Cessation

Keywords

  • Acupuncture
  • smoking cessation
03

In context

Lead sponsor

Queen's University is the lead sponsor of 199 studies on the registry; 16 are open to participants now.

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

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 75 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • Participants are included in the study if they satisfy the following criteria:

    • Male or female.
    • Between 18 and 75 years of age inclusive.
    • Able to provide informed consent to study.
    • History of tobacco cigarette smoking for at least 6 months.
    • Confirmed intention of smoking cessation with no more than 2 previous failed attempts in the last 3 year.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Existing pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation.
  • History of major psychiatric disorder or chronic pain syndromes.
  • More than 2 failed attempts of smoking cessation in the previous 3 years.
  • History of other substance abuse.
  • History of atopy, or suspected/known allergy to plaster.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 2
Primary purpose
Supportive care
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
None (open label)
Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Arm 1: NADA points and digital pressure

    Arm 1: NADA points and digital pressure with urge.

    Other: acupuncture

  • Experimental
    Arm 2: random points + digital pressure with urge

    Arm 2 (20 participants): random points + digital pressure with urge

    Other: acupuncture

  • No intervention
    Arm 3 (20 participants): NO acupressure, only advice + support

Interventions

  • Otheracupuncture

    National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) points + digital pressure

  • Otheracupuncture

    random points + digital pressure

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Spot 7-day cessation rate

    Efficacy of intervention for smoking cessation

    Time frame: Weekly during the intervention period (weeks 1-6)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Continuous Cessation Rate (CAR)

    Efficacy of intervention for smoking cessation

    Time frame: Weekly during the intervention period (weeks 1-6) and week 13 and week 26

  2. End-expiratory carbon monoxide levels (CO)

    Efficacy of intervention for smoking cessation

    Time frame: Weekly during the intervention period (weeks 1-6) and week 13 and week 26

  3. Adverse effects in terms of self-reported discomfort levels from auricular acupressure

    Nature and incidence of adverse events due to intervention

    Time frame: Weekly during the intervention period (weeks 1-6)

  4. Stress level according to the Stress Check List (SCL)

    Nature and incidence of adverse events due to intervention

    Time frame: Weekly during the intervention period (weeks 1-6) and week 13 and week 26

  5. Nicotine withdrawal symptoms according to Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS)

    Nature and incidence of adverse events due to intervention

    Time frame: Weekly during the intervention period (weeks 1-6) and week 13 and week 26

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
  • Queen's Family Health Team
    Kingston, Ontario K7L 5E9, Canada
    Recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Leung L, Neufeld T, Marin S. Effect of self-administered auricular acupressure on smoking cessation--a pilot study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012 Feb 28;12:11. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-12-11. PubMed 22373002 ↗
09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 18, 2014, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01389622
Lead sponsor
Queen's University
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jul 8, 2011
Start date
Jul 2011
Primary completion
Dec 2015 (estimated)
Completion
Jan 2016 (estimated)
Last update
Nov 18, 2014

Study contacts

Lawrence Leung, MD
Contact
lawrence.leung@dfm.queensu.ca
613-533-9303
Jyoti Kotecha, MPA
Contact
jyoti.kotecha@cspc.queensu.ca
613-533-6000 ext. 73970
Lawrence Leung, MD
principal investigator · Queen's University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is status unknown, as verified in Mar 2014. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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