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CompletedNCT03294785Updated Aug 2, 2019

Comparative Effectiveness and Cost-effectiveness of Chuna Manual Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain

An interventional study of Chuna manual therapy and Conventional medication in Chronic Neck Pain, sponsored by Jaseng Medical Foundation. Completed at 5 sites in Korea, Republic of. Open to participants aged 19 Years to 60 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2019-08-02.

Sponsored by Jaseng Medical Foundation · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
108
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
19 Years to 60 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

A multi-center randomized controlled trial assessing the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy for chronic neck pain

Read the detailed description

A multi-center randomized controlled, parallel, assessor-blinded trial will be conducted to evaluate the comparative clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy for chronic neck pain patients compared to usual care as assessed using pain, functional disability, health-related quality of life, economic evaluation, and safety measures.

02

Conditions studied

  • Chronic Neck Pain

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03

Who can participate

Ages eligible
19 Years to 60 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • Chronic neck pain patients (with pain duration of 3 months or longer)
  • Patients with numeric rating scale (NRS) of radicular pain ≤ neck pain in neck pain patients with or without radiculopathy
  • Patients with NRS of neck pain ≥5 during the 3 days
  • Patients who have agreed to trial participation and provided written informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients diagnosed with serious pathology(s) which may cause neck pain (e.g. spinal metastasis of tumor(s), acute fracture, spinal dislocation)
  • Patients with history of neck surgery
  • Patients with other chronic disease(s) which may interfere with treatment effect, safety, or interpretation of outcomes (e.g. chronic renal failure, vertebral artery complications, rheumatoid arthritis, Down syndrome)
  • Patients with progressive neurologic deficit or severe neurologic symptoms such as spinal cord injury
  • Patients with severe mental illness
  • Patients currently taking steroids, immunosuppressants, medicine for mental illness or other medication(s) that may interfere with study results
  • Patients who have received Chuna manual therapy or physical therapy, medicine such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), or treatment(s) that may influence pain within the past week
  • Pregnant patients or patients with plans of pregnancy
  • Patients participating in other clinical studies or otherwise deemed unsuitable by the researchers
04

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
108 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Chuna manual therapy

    The Chuna manual therapy group will receive Chuna manual therapy alone. Chuna manual therapy will employ a semi-standardized treatment plan of Chuna manual therapy through Chuna technique selection based on physician judgement of techniques from Chuna Medicine (Korean Society of Chuna Manual Medicine for Spine \& Nerves: Chuna Medicine: Seoul: Korean Society of Chuna Manual Medicine for Spine \& Nerves; 2017) and osteopathic manipulative medicine. The Chuna techniques employed in this study are divided into cervical, thoracic and rib cage, lumbar, pelvic, sacral, pubic, and hip joint area techniques. Chuna manual therapy sessions will be administered 2 sessions/week over a period of 5 weeks (total 10 sessions). The time duration of 1 Chuna manual therapy session will consist of approximately 10-20 minutes of diagnosis and approximately 10 minutes of treatment.

    Procedure: Chuna manual therapy

  • Active comparator
    Usual care

    The usual care group will receive usual care alone. Usual care will be limited to physical therapy and conventional medication in this study. Usual care will be provided with reference to a list of most frequently used treatments in neck pain-related patients from Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) 2014 statistics. Frequency and types of physical therapy used will be recorded in a separate electronic case report form for outcome assessor blinding purposes.

    Drug: Conventional medication · Procedure: Physical therapy

Interventions

  • ProcedureChuna manual therapy

    Chuna is a Korean manual therapy that has absorbed and incorporated aspects of osteopathic manipulative medicine. Chuna manual therapy utilizes spinal manipulation techniques for joint mobilization including high-velocity, low amplitude thrusts to joints slightly beyond the passive range of motion and gentle force to joints within the passive range of movement, muscle energy, and fascial techniques.

    Also known as: Chuna manipulation

  • DrugConventional medication

    Conventional drugs will be prescribed in an individually-tailored, pragmatic method with reference to most frequently used treatments in patients with a primary diagnosis of cervical sprain/strain group, cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy group, or cervicalgia according to Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) 2014 statistics.

    Also known as: Conventional medicine, Conventional drugs

  • ProcedurePhysical therapy

    Physical therapy will be prescribed in an individually-tailored, pragmatic method with reference to most frequently used treatments in patients with a primary diagnosis of cervical sprain/strain group, cervical disc disorder with radiculopathy group, or cervicalgia according to Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment (HIRA) 2014 statistics.

    Also known as: Physiotherapy

05

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Difference between visual analogue scale (VAS) of neck pain for the past 3 days at 5 weeks post-baseline and baseline

    VAS uses a 10cm line labeled at each end with scale anchors. In pain measurement using VAS, patients are asked to mark a point that represents their pain between the anchors of 'no pain' and 'worst pain possible' (labels may vary by study). Scores are recorded in millimeters with a total range of 0-100 millimeters.

    Time frame: Week 5 post-baseline (screening)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Difference between visual analogue scale (VAS) of radiating arm pain for the past 3 days at each timepoint and baseline, respectively

    VAS uses a 10cm line labeled at each end with scale anchors. In pain measurement using VAS, patients are asked to mark a point that represents their pain between the anchors of 'no pain' and 'worst pain possible' (labels may vary by study). Scores are recorded in millimeters with a total range of 0-100 millimeters.

    Time frame: Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 post-baseline (screening)

  2. Difference between numeric rating scale (NRS) of neck pain for the past 3 days at each timepoint and baseline, respectively

    In pain measurement using NRS, patients are asked to rate their pain by selecting a number from 0 to 10 that best represents their pain severity between the anchors of 0 which indicates 'no pain', and 10 which indicates 'worst pain possible'.

    Time frame: Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  3. Difference between numeric rating scale (NRS) of radiating arm pain for the past 3 days at each timepoint and baseline, respectively

    In pain measurement using NRS, patients are asked to rate their pain by selecting a number from 0 to 10 that best represents their pain severity between the anchors of 0 which indicates 'no pain', and 10 which indicates 'worst pain possible'.

    Time frame: Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  4. Difference between Neck Disability Index (NDI) at each timepoint and baseline, respectively

    The NDI evaluates functional impairment and is a 10-item questionnaire developed to assess the level of disability due to neck pain. Each item is graded into 6 levels, each representing a score of 0-5. Higher scores indicate greater limitation relating to neck pain.

    Time frame: Week 1, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  5. Difference between Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) at each timepoint and baseline, respectively

    The NPQ evaluates functional impairment for the past 3 days in this study and is a patient reported outcome of subjective neck pain and pain reduction. The NPQ is a 9-item questionnaire developed to assess the level of disability due to neck pain. Each item is graded into 5 levels, each representing a score of 0-4. Higher scores indicate greater limitation relating to neck pain.

    Time frame: Week 1, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  6. Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC)

    PGIC grades the level of subjective improvement into 7 levels (1, very much improved; 2, much improved; 3, slightly improved; 4, no change; 5, slightly worse; 6, much worse; and 7, very much worse).

    Time frame: Week 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  7. Physical examination

    Pain upon movement in cervical range of motion (ROM) will be assessed.

    Time frame: Week 1, 6 post-baseline (screening)

  8. Difference between the 5 level version of EuroQol-5 Dimension (EQ-5D-5L) at each timepoint and baseline, respectively

    EQ-5D is a tool developed for health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessment, and is widely used in the health care sector. Scores range from -1, 'health worse than death' to 1, 'perfect health'. EQ-5D-5L has 5 dimensions covering current health status and functionality: mobility (M), self care (SC), usual activities (UA), pain/discomfort (PD), and anxiety/depression (AD), to be rated out of 5 grades (1, no problem; 2, slight problem; 3, some/moderate problem; 4, severe problem; 5, extreme problem).

    Time frame: Week 1, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  9. Difference between the EuroQol Visual Analogue Scale (EQ-VAS) at each timepoint and baseline, respectively

    EQ-VAS uses a vertical 10cm line labeled at each end with scale anchors. EQ-VAS is used to indicate the patient's health state and patients are asked to mark a point that represents their health state between the anchors of 'worst health state' and 'best health state imaginable'. Scores are recorded in millimeters with a total range of 0-100 millimeters.

    Time frame: Week 1, 6 post-baseline (screening)

  10. Difference between the Short Form Health Survey 12 (SF-12) at each timepoint and baseline, respectively

    SF-12 is a simplified version of SF-36. SF-12 assesses health-related quality of life (HRQoL) across 8 domains with 1-2 items per domain: physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health. Higher scores indicate better HRQoL.

    Time frame: Week 1, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  11. Economic evaluation (medical costs)

    Economic evaluation of medical costs will be performed to assess cost-effectiveness of the 2 groups.

    Time frame: Week 1, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  12. Economic evaluation (time-related costs)

    Economic evaluation of time-related costs will be performed to assess cost-effectiveness of the 2 groups.

    Time frame: Week 2 post-baseline (screening)

  13. Economic evaluation (lost productivity costs)

    Economic evaluation of lost productivity costs will be performed to assess cost-effectiveness of the 2 groups.

    Time frame: Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  14. Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire

    The credibility and expectancy questionnaire will be used to assess treatment expectation on a 9-point Likert scale. Participants will be asked to select an answer to the following questions on their first visit of Week 1 (1='not at all'; and 5='somewhat'; to 9='very much'): "How much do you expect that treatment will alleviate your symptoms during the study period?"

    Time frame: Week 1 post-baseline (screening)

  15. Drug Consumption

    Drug type and dose of prescription for medicine or rescue medicine (acetaminophen), and type and frequency of other treatments (e.g. physical therapy, injections) will be recorded.

    Time frame: Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening)

  16. Adverse events

    Physicians will monitor and record any unexpected or unintended patient reaction to Chuna or usual care at each visit. Adverse events (AEs) associated with Chuna will include, but not be limited to, AEs anticipated from previous reports of manual therapy, and will stay open to all possibilities taking into consideration other potential, unknown AEs.

    Time frame: Week 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Month 3, 6, 9, 12 post-baseline (screening) (every visit)

06

Study locations

5 sites
  • Bucheon Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine
    Bucheon, Gyeonggi, Korea, Republic of
  • Haeundae Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine
    Busan, Korea, Republic of
  • Daejeon Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine
    Daejeon, Korea, Republic of
  • Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine
    Seoul, 06110, Korea, Republic of
  • Kyung Hee University Oriental Medicine Hospital at Gangdong
    Seoul, Korea, Republic of
07

References and documents

Publications

  • Lee J, Cho JH, Kim KW, Lee JH, Kim MR, Kim J, Kim MY, Cho HW, Lee YJ, Lee SH, Shin JS, Prokop LL, Shin BC, Ha IH. Chuna Manual Therapy vs Usual Care for Patients With Nonspecific Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Jul 1;4(7):e2113757. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.13757. PubMed 34259850 ↗
  • Do HJ, Shin JS, Lee J, Lee YJ, Kim MR, Cho JH, Kim KW, Ha IH. Comparative effectiveness and economic evaluation of Chuna manual therapy for chronic neck pain: protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2018 Nov 29;19(1):663. doi: 10.1186/s13063-018-3016-6. PubMed 30497483 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

08

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT03294785
Lead sponsor
Jaseng Medical Foundation
Collaborators
Kyung Hee University Hospital at Gangdong, Michigan State University
Responsible party
In-Hyuk Ha, KMD (Director, Jaseng Medical Foundation) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 27, 2017
Start date
Oct 18, 2017
Primary completion
Aug 1, 2018
Completion
Jun 28, 2019
Last update
Aug 2, 2019

Study contacts

In-Hyuk Ha, KMD, MPH
principal investigator · Jaseng Medical Foundation

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
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