Acupuncture in Myasthenia Gravis (AcuMG)

Acupuncture Treatment for Individuals With Myasthenia Gravis

The purpose of the study is to determine the effect acupuncture treatment on individuals with a diagnosis of Myasthenia Gravis (MG). A total of 20 people with MG will be enrolled in this study to receive acupuncture treatment 2 times a week for 12 weeks. Participants will be randomized into two groups: 1) Immediate start and 2) Delayed start (12 weeks). The delayed start group will act as a control group for the first 12 weeks, but then receive acupuncture treatment for 12 weeks. It is hypothesized that patients with MG who receive acupuncture treatment will have improved quality of life and activities of daily living compared to no treatment.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Myasthenia Gravis
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Acupuncture

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 24
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Minnesota
    • Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, 55130
      • HealthPartners Neuroscience Center

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 80 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Ability to provide and provision of signed and dated informed consent form
• Age 18-80
• Diagnosis of MG

Exclusion Criteria:

• Non-English speaking
• Participation in acupuncture treatment outside of the study, while enrolled
• History of any other serious neurological, psychiatric, chronic pain disorders, or seizures
• History of bleeding diathesis, other bleeding disorders, or syncope with needle puncture
• History of cardiac arrhythmia or current pacemaker, neurostimulator, or other implanted stimulation device
• Recent or active substance use disorder
• Women who are currently pregnant, lactating, or planning to become pregnant during the study
• Any other medical conditions that could affect their ability to participate in acupuncture treatments for the study duration (as determined by study investigators)
• Active participation or past participation ≤3 months in any other interventional study.
• Unwilling to participate in all study related activities

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Immediate Start; Patients will receive acupuncture treatment two times per week for 12 weeks.	Other: Acupuncture; Acupuncture treatments will be separated by a minimum of two days and a maximum of 14 days. Treatment sessions will be identical for both groups. Standard, sterile stainless-steel, disposable needles will be inserted at acupuncture points with a total of 18 needles for each treatment session. The depth of the needle will be approximately 10-20 millimeters. Needles will be left in place for 30 minutes.
Active Comparator: Delayed start; Patients will act as control group for the first 12 weeks then will receive acupuncture treatment two times per week for 12 weeks.	Other: Acupuncture; Acupuncture treatments will be separated by a minimum of two days and a maximum of 14 days. Treatment sessions will be identical for both groups. Standard, sterile stainless-steel, disposable needles will be inserted at acupuncture points with a total of 18 needles for each treatment session. The depth of the needle will be approximately 10-20 millimeters. Needles will be left in place for 30 minutes.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
To Determine the Effect of Acupuncture on Quality of Life in Patients With MG	A brief 15-item disease specific questionnaire. Myasthenia gravis-quality of life 15 (MG-QOL15). A higher score indicates a lower quality of life.[range: 0-30]	pre-acupuncture treatment and post-acupuncture treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
To Determine the Effect of Acupuncture on Activities of Daily Living in Patients With MG	A brief 8-item disease specific questionnaire. Myasthenia gravis-activities of daily living (MG-ADL). A higher score indicates activities of daily living are more difficult.[range: 0-24]	pre-acupuncture treatment and post-acupuncture treatment

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: HealthPartners Institute
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Amanda A Herrmann, PhD, HealthPartners Neuroscience Research; Principal Investigator: Gaurav K Guliani, MD, HealthPartners Neurology

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): May 25, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 30, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): April 30, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 28, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 28, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): February 8, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): September 18, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 2, 2025
• Last Verified: September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Nervous System Diseases; Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Neuromuscular Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Paraneoplastic Syndromes, Nervous System; Nervous System Neoplasms; Paraneoplastic Syndromes; Neuromuscular Junction Diseases; Myasthenia Gravis; Therapeutics; Complementary Therapies; Acupuncture Therapy
• Other Study ID Numbers: A21-197

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