An interventional study of Electroacupuncture treatment and Sham electroacupuncture treatment in Postherpetic Neuralgia, sponsored by Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Completed at 7 sites in China. Open to participants aged 45 Years to 75 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-10.
Sponsored by Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 30 studies in Neuralgia, Postherpetic with a site in China — 11 open to participants now, 12 under way, none of them phase 3. Neuralgia, Postherpetic · China.
Among the 30 studies in Neuralgia, Postherpetic with a site in China, this one is the 3rd largest by enrollment of the 23 interventional ones that give a count, is one of 3 that started in 2020, is one of 12 with no phase, and was the 7th registered.
196 studies on the registry are indexed under Neuralgia, Postherpetic; 28 are open to participants now.
Browse Neuralgia, Postherpetic studies →11 of the 30 studies in Neuralgia, Postherpetic with a site in China are open now. Recruiting first, the newest first:
Shanghai Yidian Pharmaceutical Technology Development Co., Ltd. · Sites in China
Ages 18+
Neurodawn Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. · Sites in China
Ages 18+
Beijing Tiantan Hospital · Sites in China
Ages 18+
Beijing Tiantan Hospital · Sites in China
Ages 18+
Shirong Tan · Sites in China
Ages 40–85
A study can be open while its sites in China have not opened yet or have stopped. Only those recruiting at a site in China →
Of the 18 Neuralgia, Postherpetic studies recruiting now, 8 (44%) set no upper age limit and 5 (28%) stop at 75 or younger; none take children under 18; 2 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 45 Years to 75 Years · all sexes · no healthy volunteers.
The full table on the hub →This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
30 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 2011; this study’s year is marked. 3 started in 2020.
By drug class, each counting the studies that test any of its medicines:
This study's enrollment of 448 is above the median of 94 across 162 interventional studies indexed under Neuralgia, Postherpetic.
Median enrollment 150 across the 23 interventional studies, 151 across the 7 observational. Of the 13 that completed or were terminated, 1 (8%) have results posted.
This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
9 of 30 have an industry lead sponsor. The 10 most frequent:
Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine is the lead sponsor of 17 studies on the registry; 6 are open to participants now.
Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has 1 study filed under Neuralgia, Postherpetic — fewer than ten, so there is no comparison to draw.
3 of the studies in Neuralgia, Postherpetic with a site in China that are under way reach primary completion within a year, 0 of them phase 3. Phase 3 first, then by date:
| Study | Primary completion |
|---|---|
| NCT06990854Dexiong HanElectroacupuncture for PHN: Efficacy and Biomarker Evaluation in a Multicenter, Randomized, Sham-Controlled Trial Protocol | 2026-12 |
| NCT07758920Shanghai Yidian Pharmaceutical Technology Development Co., Ltd.A Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of HL-1186 Tablet in the Treatment of Postherpetic Neuralgia | 2027-06 |
| NCT07361796Beijing Tiantan HospitalThe Analgesic Efficacy and Safety of Venlafaxine for Prevention of Postherpetic Neuralgia in Patients With Acute Herpes Zoster | 2027-09-30 |
Add all 3 to your calendar (.ics) → With an account.
Among the 30 studies in Neuralgia, Postherpetic with a site in China, from their registry updates:
Nothing recorded among them since 2026-09-25.
This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
The investigators designed the multicenter randomized parallel controlled clinical trial of electroacupuncture on PHN which is rigorously designed and have an appropriate sample size, aiming to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture in pain relieving and pain removing in the treatment of patients with PHN.
Postherpetic neuralgia(PHN) is the most common complication of herpes zoster, is a severe and intractable pain with a high incidence. Nearly 50% of PHN patients have experienced persistent pain for more than one year. Although it is not directly life-threatening, will lead to sleep disorders, even depression, seriously affecting the quality of life of patients. This project is a multi-center randomized controlled trial, which will recruit 448 patients with PHN in 7 hospitals, aiming to evaluate the analgesic effect and safety of electroacupuncture on postherpetic neuralgia, and provide evidence-based medical evidence for electroacupuncture treatment of PHN.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A planned gap after a treatment, so that its effects can lessen before the study treatment or a study assessment. Ask the study team and the doctor who prescribed it before changing any medicine.
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Washout period
A planned gap after a treatment, so that its effects can lessen before the study treatment or a study assessment. Ask the study team and the doctor who prescribed it before changing any medicine.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis B tests
Hepatitis B is a virus that infects the liver. These are separate tests: HBsAg positive usually means a current infection (a recent vaccination can briefly cause it too); total anti-HBc (HBcAb) positive means an infection now or in the past; HBV DNA measures how much virus is in the blood.
Some studies accept a past infection if HBV DNA is undetectable, sometimes with antiviral medicine during the study. Check what this study allows.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hepatitis C tests
Hepatitis C is a virus that infects the liver. An HCV antibody test can stay positive after an infection has cleared (and is occasionally positive without one); an HCV RNA test shows whether the virus is there now.
After treatment, hepatitis C counts as cured when HCV RNA is still undetectable 12 weeks or more after the treatment ended. Studies often accept people cured this way.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus, which weakens the immune system.
Many studies now accept people whose HIV is controlled on treatment, judged by the viral load and the CD4 count. Check the limits this study sets.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Choose the appropriate position according to the patient's herpes site, and routinely disinfect the skin. Paste the fixed insulating pad on the acupoint, and use a 0.30×40mm acupuncture needle to penetrate the skin 10mm obliquely through the fixed insulating gasket at Ashi point; According to the above operation, the SJ6 and GB34 point of the affected side are directly penetrated into the skin 15-20mm. The local Ashi point connects the two poles of the electroacupuncture device according to the first and last points of the long axis of the painful part, and the SJ6 and GB34 point on the affected side are connected to the poles of the electroacupuncture device. Electroacupuncture waveform is continuous wave, frequency is 2Hz, and current intensity is 1-5mA (causing slight tremor of the skin around the acupuncture point without pain). Continue the electroacupuncture treatment for 30 minutes.
Other: Electroacupuncture treatment
Participants randomly assigned to the sham electroacupuncture (SA) group received sham electroacupuncture by using placebo blunt needles at the same acupoints. After disinfecting the skin and placing the sterile insulating adhesive pads on unilateral Zhigou, Yanglingquan and Ashi points, placebo blunt needles are inserted through the pads and reach the insulating adhesive layer, causing the participants to feel the needle resistance (a sensation of needle insertion). Other procedures, electrode placements, parameter of electroacupuncture apparatus and treatment settings are the same as in the EA group, but with no skin penetration or electricity output.
Other: Sham electroacupuncture treatment
Continue the electroacupuncture treatment as described above for 30 minutes.
Continue the sham electroacupuncture treatment as described above for 30 minutes.
Change in pain intensity (NRS-11)
11-point numeric rating scale (NRS-11): range from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain), with 1-3 points representing mild pain, 4-6 points representing moderate pain, and 7-10 points representing severe pain. A reduction of ≥30% in NRS-11 scores from baseline were considered responders.
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 4 weeks after treatment
Change in pain intensity (NRS-11)
The NRS-11 score ranges from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain), with 1-3 points representing mild pain, 4-6 points representing moderate pain, and 7-10 points representing severe pain.
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 1-month follow-up.
Change in pain intensity (VAS)
Visual analogue scale (VAS): a horizontal line without verbal descriptors or numbers at intermediate points (0=no pain, 10=worst imaginable pain)
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Interference of pain on sleep
Verbal rating scale (VRS): 4 levels. 1. Level 0: No pain. 2. Level I (mild): Pain but tolerable, normal life, no interference with sleep. 3. Level II (moderate): Pain is obvious, unbearable, requires analgesic medication, and sleep is disturbed. 4. Level III: Severe pain, unbearable, analgesic medication, severe interference with sleep, accompanied by autonomic dysfunction or passive positions.
Time frame: 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Change in mechanical pain threshold (MPT)
Stimulated the most painful central part of PHN with a series of von Frey hairs (0.008-300 g).
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Change in pain area of PHN (PAP)
calculated by the researcher based on 45 body areas rating scale (BARS-45) which requires the use of height and weight of the patient.
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Average number of pain episodes per day
Painless: 0 times; Intermittent pain: 1-50 times (1-2, 3-5, 6-10, 11-50 optional); Persistent pain: \>50 times.
Time frame: 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Average duration of each pain episode (ADEPE)
Duration ranges from 0 minutes (no pain) to 24 hours (persistent pain).
Time frame: 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks and 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Change in the nature and intensity of pain
short form of McGill pain questionnaire 2 (SF-MPQ-2): includes 22 items.
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Change in degree of pain and its impact on work life, interpersonal relationships and sleep
Zoster brief pain inventory (ZBPI)
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Change in depression, anxiety and positive outlook scale (DAPOS)
11 items, combines depression (5 items), anxiety (3 items) and positive outlook (3 items).
Time frame: Change from Baseline at 4 weeks after treatment and 1-month follow-up.
Overall impression of PHN
Patient global impression of change (PGIC): Participants were asked to describe their overall impression of change of their condition/pain by answering the following question: "Compared to your pain at admission to the project, how much has it changed?" (categories: much improved = 1, mildly improved = 2, unchanged = 3, mildly worsened = 4, much worsened = 5).
Time frame: Week 4 and week 8.
Plan to share: Yes — Case Report Form, Electronic Data Capture(EDC)
Supporting information: Study protocol, Statistical analysis plan, Informed consent form
Time frame: Within six months after the trial complete
Access criteria: Use the EDC system of the Science and Technology Department of Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine to disclose the original data
Data sharing details ↗ · jshtcm.ecrfdata.com
Ran from Oct 2020 to primary completion in Aug 2022, 22 months.
Of 30 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Neuralgia, Postherpetic, half reached primary completion within 16 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 35. This study's 22 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 32 studies reached it within 16 months; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 35.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
Get an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine