An interventional study of Vibration Assisted Acupressure in Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), sponsored by University of Baghdad. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Iraq. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-11.
Sponsored by University of Baghdad · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effect of combined traditional and paraspinal acupressure on restless legs syndrome and pruritus among patients undergoing hemodialysis. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving the acupressure intervention in addition to routine hemodialysis care or a control group receiving routine care only. The severity of restless legs syndrome and pruritus will be assessed at predetermined time points using validated assessment tools. The study aims to determine whether the combined acupressure intervention is effective in reducing restless legs syndrome and pruritus symptoms in patients undergoing hemodialysis
Participants allocated to the intervention group will receive combined traditional and paraspinal acupressure in addition to routine hemodialysis care. The intervention will involve stimulation of selected acupressure points using a vibration acupressure device.
The paraspinal component will include selected thoracic and lumbar points (BL13, BL17, BL23, BL24, and BL25) and will be applied before the hemodialysis session. Traditional peripheral acupressure points, including SP6, SP10, ST36, LI11, LR3, and BL57, will be stimulated during the hemodialysis session.The intervention will be administered according to a standardized protocol regarding point localization, application technique, duration, and frequency to ensure consistency among participants. Participants will be observed during the intervention for any discomfort or adverse events.
Participants allocated to the control group will continue to receive routine hemodialysis care without the acupressure intervention during the study period.
Restless legs syndrome severity and pruritus severity will be evaluated using validated instruments at three predetermined assessment time points. The collected data will be used to examine changes in symptoms over time and differences between the two study groups.
259 studies on the registry are indexed under Restless Legs Syndrome; 38 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 70 is above the median of 53 across 200 interventional studies indexed under Restless Legs Syndrome.
Browse Restless Legs Syndrome studies →University of Baghdad is the lead sponsor of 170 studies on the registry; 69 are open to participants now.
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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.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Cancer (malignancy)
Malignancy means cancer. Criteria about another or earlier malignancy ask whether you have had a different cancer, usually within a set number of years.
Some are commonly allowed, such as treated skin cancers other than melanoma and early cancers removed completely — check the exceptions this study lists.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Participants in this group will receive vibration-assisted acupressure using an acupressure device applied to selected acupoints in addition to routine hemodialysis care. The intervention will be administered according to the study protocol to evaluate its effects on restless legs syndrome and pruritus among patients undergoing
Other: Vibration Assisted Acupressure
Participants will receive routine hemodialysis care without the acupressure intervention
Vibration-assisted acupressure will be applied to selected traditional and paraspinal acupoints using a handheld vibration device. The intervention is designed to reduce the severity of restless legs syndrome and pruritus in patients undergoing hemodialysis. It will be administered according to a predefined intervention protocol in addition to routine hemodialysis care
Change in Restless Legs Syndrome Severity Assessed by the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group Rating Scale (IRLS)
The questionnaire consisted of 10 items, each of which had a scale ranging from 0 (no impact) to 4 (very severe impact). RLS severity was defined as mild (0-10 points), moderate (11-20 points), severe (21-30 points), or very severe (31-40 points).
Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), 1 month after initiation of the intervention, and 2 months after initiation of the intervention
Change in Pruritus Severity Assessed by the 5-D Itch Scale
Pruritus severity will be assessed using the 5-D Itch Scale, which evaluates five dimensions of itching: duration, degree, direction, disability, and distribution. The total score ranges from 5 to 25, with higher scores indicating greater severity and impact of pruritus
Time frame: Baseline (before intervention), 1 month after initiation of the intervention, and 2 months after initiation of the intervention
Plan to share: No
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