Acupuncture for Prevention of Itch in Caesarean Section

Acupuncture for the Prevention of Intrathecal Diamorphine-induced Itch in Elective Caesarean Section: A Randomised Controlled Trial

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of using a commercially available acupuncture stud at the LI11 acupuncture point at reducing the severity of itch caused by intrathecal diamorphine in elective caesarean section.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Pruritus
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Seirin Pyonex press needle acupuncture

Detailed Description

Itch is a very common complication of diamorphine used in spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section with a local incidence of 78%. It ranges from irritating to distressing and difficult to treat and can adversely affect maternal satisfaction, wellbeing and bonding with their baby.

This trial aims to determine whether acupuncture using a commercially-available acupuncture stud at the LI11 point reduces the incidence and severity of post-operative itching in patients undergoing elective caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia with intrathecal diamorphine.

80 women having a planned caesarean section under spinal anaesthesia will be recruited by informed consent and randomised to the intervention group or the control group. The intervention group will receive an acupuncture stud at the LI11 point on either arm and the control group will receive acupuncture with a similar stud containing a smaller needle at a non-acupuncture point on either arm. The stud can be left in-situ until the followup visit the following morning or removed earlier at the participants discretion. All other care will be the usual clinical care including access to anti-itching drugs as required. Participants will be visited by a member of the research team at 3-5 hours following the start of their spinal anaesthetic and asked to mark their itch on an 11 point visual analogue scale (VAS). They will also be visited by a member of the research team the following morning, asked to rate their worst itch on the same scale and asked how troublesome they have found their itch (none, mild, moderate, severe). The administration of any anti-itch drugs will be recorded and if the acupuncture stud has not been removed it will be removed at this time.

If effective, acupuncture with an acupuncture stud would provide an acceptable, convenient, safe and cost-effective treatment.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United Kingdom
  • South Yorkshire
    • Sheffield, South Yorkshire, United Kingdom, S10 2JF
      • Royal Hallamshire Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• ASA1-3 patients with uncomplicated pregnancies undergoing elective caesarean section with a plan for spinal anaesthesia with intrathecal diamorphine.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age under 18.
• Pre-existing itch or conditions associated with itch (eg cholestasis of pregnancy).
• Pre-existing use of H1 receptor antagonists, non-selective antihistamines or ursodeoxycholic acid.
• Severe perioperative complication or fetal death.
• Conversion to general anaesthesia.
• Unable to understand written and spoken English.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention; 1.5mm Seirin Pyonex needle at LI11 point	Device: Seirin Pyonex press needle acupuncture; Acupuncture
Sham Comparator: Control; 0.3mm Seirin Pyonex needle at TB10 point	Device: Seirin Pyonex press needle acupuncture; Acupuncture

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Presence or absence of itch	Presence or absence of itch	between 3 and 5 hours post injection of spinal anaesthetic

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Severity of itch on 11 point VAS scale	Severity of itch on 11 point VAS scale	between 3 and 5 hours post injection of spinal anaesthetic
Severity of worst overall itch on 11 point VAS scale	Severity of worst overall itch on 11 point VAS scale	At a follow up visit the next day following the spinal anaesthetic

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Collaborators: Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association United Kingdom
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Tim Orr, Dr, Trainee Anaesthesia (CT1-ST6)

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 12, 2018
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 15, 2018
• Study Completion (Actual): November 15, 2018

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 22, 2018
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 7, 2018
• First Posted (Actual): March 8, 2018

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 4, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 30, 2025
• Last Verified: May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Caesarean section
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Skin Manifestations; Skin Diseases; Pruritus
• Other Study ID Numbers: STH20078

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No