An interventional study of PRP Pharmacopuncture and Placebo Pharmacopuncture in Neck Pain and Myofascial Pain Syndrome, sponsored by Indonesia University. Recruiting at 1 site in Indonesia. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 59 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-16.
Sponsored by Indonesia University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn whether pharmacopuncture with Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is effective for treating chronic neck pain in cervical myofascial syndrome related to the upper trapezius muscle. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Researchers will compare PRP pharmacopuncture to normal saline pharmacopuncture (placebo) to evaluate whether PRP provides greater effectiveness in reducing chronic neck pain in cervical myofascial syndrome related to the upper trapezius muscle.
Participants will:
This is a clinical trial study to evaluate the effectiveness of PRP pharmacopuncture in patients with chronic neck pain in cervical myofascial syndrome related to the upper trapezius muscle. Participants are 60 males/females aged 18-59 years. They will be divided into two groups: (1) PRP pharmacopuncture and (2) Normal saline (placebo) pharmacopuncture. Each participant will receive a single pharmacopuncture treatment. Therapy efficacy will be assessed at week 2, week 4, and week 8 after the intervention.
1,360 studies on the registry are indexed under Neck Pain; 299 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 72 is above the median of 50 across 1,116 interventional studies indexed under Neck Pain.
Browse Neck Pain studies →Indonesia University is the lead sponsor of 446 studies on the registry; 56 are open to participants now.
Of its 6 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 1 (17%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
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.
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
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.
Hemoglobin (Hb)
The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. A low level is anaemia, which can cause tiredness and breathlessness. Measured in g/dL or g/L (9 g/dL is 90 g/L).
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Platelets
Blood cells that help blood clot. Too few raises the risk of bleeding and bruising. A usual adult range is about 150–400 × 10⁹/L (150,000–400,000 per µL); each lab has its own reference range.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Hypersensitivity
An allergy, or another reaction of the immune system, to a substance. “Hypersensitivity to the study drug” means a known allergic reaction to it — not every side effect a medicine can have.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants in the PRP pharmacopuncture arm will receive a single administration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) via intramuscular injection at acupuncture points corresponding to chronic neck pain in cervical myofascial syndrome in the upper trapezius muscle.
Procedure: PRP Pharmacopuncture
Participants in the placebo pharmacopuncture arm will receive a single administration of normal saline via intramuscular injection at acupuncture points corresponding to chronic neck pain in cervical myofascial syndrome in the upper trapezius muscle.
Procedure: Placebo Pharmacopuncture
Participants in the PRP pharmacopuncture arm will receive a single administration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) via intramuscular injection at acupuncture points corresponding to chronic neck pain in cervical myofascial syndrome in the upper trapezius muscle.
Participants in the placebo pharmacopuncture arm will receive a single administration of normal saline via intramuscular injection at acupuncture points corresponding to chronic neck pain in cervical myofascial syndrome in the upper trapezius muscle.
Biomarker parameters
The serum concentration of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) will be measured as outcome biomarkers to evaluate inflammatory and angiogenic responses following the intervention.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline) and 4 weeks after treatment
Visual Analogue Scale
Pain intensity will be assessed using a 100 mm horizontal visual analogue scale, where 0 mm indicates "no pain" and 100 mm indicates "worst imaginable pain." Participants will mark the point on the line that best represents their perceived pain intensity.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Pressure Pain Threshold
Using the minimum force applied which induces pain, measured with algometer
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Neck Disability Index
A questionnaire for measuring self-rated disability due to neck pain
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Perceived Stress Scale
psychological instrument for measuring the perception of stress. It assesses the degree to which individuals perceive situations in their lives as stressful over the past month. The scale consists of 10 items, each rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 ("never") to 4 ("very often"). Total scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating greater perceived stress.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Pain Catastrophizing Scale
a validated self-report questionnaire designed to assess catastrophic thinking related to pain. It consists of 13 items divided into three subscales: rumination, magnification, and helplessness. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 0 ("not at all") to 4 ("all the time"), with total scores ranging from 0 to 52. Higher scores reflect greater levels of pain catastrophizing.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Short-Form 12 Health Survey
designed to assess health-related quality of life (HRQoL) across two main domains: physical and mental health.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Cervical Range of Motion
To evaluate the degree of movement in cervical flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation using a goniometer or inclinometer.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Craniovertebral Angle
To assess head and neck posture, measured from lateral photographic analysis.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Size of Myofascial Trigger Point Nodules
The diameter (in millimeters) of hypoechoic nodules identified at active trigger point sites will be measured using B-mode ultrasound. Measurements will be taken in both longitudinal and transverse planes.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Resistive Index
The resistive index of the local blood flow surrounding the trigger point area will be assessed using color Doppler and spectral Doppler ultrasound.
Time frame: before treatment (baseline), 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks after treatment
Plan to share: No
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
Started Sep 2025 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Aug 2026, 11 months after the start.
Of 763 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Neck Pain, half reached primary completion within 7 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 15. This study's planned 11 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 772 studies reached it within 7 months; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 15.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
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