The aim of this clinical study is to investigate the extent to which ear acupuncture has an effect on insomnia in women with breast cancer. It will be investigated whether changes in sleep quality, fatigue, quality of life, stress, and psychological well-being can be achieved. In addition, a proinflammatory cytokine will be meassured.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
52
Patients in the intervention group are treated twice a week for five weeks using semi-standardized ear acupuncture.
Patients of the control group receive a 1,5 h psychoeducation group concerning sleep improving behaviour.
Kliniken Essen-Mitte
Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Sleep Quality
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSQI contains 19 self-assessment questions and 5 questions rated by the bed-partner or roommate. The 5 questions rated by the bed-partner or roommate are only used as clinical information and not included in qualitative analysis. The question whether a bed-partner or roommate is present is not included in qualitative analysis as well. The 18 self-assessment items are used to evaluate the sleep quality on 7 domains over the last month (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction). Scoring of the answers is based on a scale from 0 to 3, whereby 3 reflects the negative extreme on a Likert Scale. The total score is generated by the summation of the component scores and can vary from 0 to 21, with a higher score corresponding to a reduced sleep quality. A cut-off score of 5 indicates a "poor" sleeper.
Time frame: week 0
Sleep Quality
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSQI contains 19 self-assessment questions and 5 questions rated by the bed-partner or roommate. The 5 questions rated by the bed-partner or roommate are only used as clinical information and not included in qualitative analysis. The question whether a bed-partner or roommate is present is not included in qualitative analysis as well. The 18 self-assessment items are used to evaluate the sleep quality on 7 domains over the last month (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction). Scoring of the answers is based on a scale from 0 to 3, whereby 3 reflects the negative extreme on a Likert Scale. The total score is generated by the summation of the component scores and can vary from 0 to 21, with a higher score corresponding to a reduced sleep quality. A cut-off score of 5 indicates a "poor" sleeper.
Time frame: week 5
Quality of Life in cancer patients
Functional Assessment Of Cancer Therapy - Breast Cancer (FACT-B)
Time frame: week 0
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Quality of Life in cancer patients
Functional Assessment Of Cancer Therapy - Breast Cancer (FACT-B)
Time frame: week 5
Quality of Life in cancer patients
Functional Assessment Of Cancer Therapy - Breast Cancer (FACT-B)
Time frame: week 17
Quality of Life in cancer patients
Functional Assessment Of Cancer Therapy - Breast Cancer (FACT-B)
Time frame: week 29
Fatigue
Functional Assessment Of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue (FACIT-F)
Time frame: week 0
Fatigue
Functional Assessment Of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue (FACIT-F)
Time frame: week 5
Fatigue
Functional Assessment Of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue (FACIT-F)
Time frame: week 17
Fatigue
Functional Assessment Of Chronic Illness Therapy - Fatigue (FACIT-F)
Time frame: week 29
Psychological well-being
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). It measures the 2 dimensions anxiety and depression. Scores range from 0 to 21 with higher values indicate higher distress. Values of \>8 indicate potential subclinical anxiety or depressive disorders.
Time frame: week 0
Psychological well-being
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). It measures the 2 dimensions anxiety and depression. Scores range from 0 to 21 with higher values indicate higher distress. Values of \>8 indicate potential subclinical anxiety or depressive disorders.
Time frame: week 5
Psychological well-being
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). It measures the 2 dimensions anxiety and depression. Scores range from 0 to 21 with higher values indicate higher distress. Values of \>8 indicate potential subclinical anxiety or depressive disorders.
Time frame: week 17
Psychological well-being
Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). It measures the 2 dimensions anxiety and depression. Scores range from 0 to 21 with higher values indicate higher distress. Values of \>8 indicate potential subclinical anxiety or depressive disorders.
Time frame: week 29
Stress
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Perceived stress will be assessed by the 10-item version of the PSS, rated for the past month on a 5-point rating scale. For the summed items (range from 0 to 40) a higher total score indicates greater stress.
Time frame: week 0
Stress
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Perceived stress will be assessed by the 10-item version of the PSS, rated for the past month on a 5-point rating scale. For the summed items (range from 0 to 40) a higher total score indicates greater stress.
Time frame: week 5
Stress
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Perceived stress will be assessed by the 10-item version of the PSS, rated for the past month on a 5-point rating scale. For the summed items (range from 0 to 40) a higher total score indicates greater stress.
Time frame: week 17
Stress
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Perceived stress will be assessed by the 10-item version of the PSS, rated for the past month on a 5-point rating scale. For the summed items (range from 0 to 40) a higher total score indicates greater stress.
Time frame: week 29
Adverse Events
Number of patients with adverse events and type of the adverse event
Time frame: week 5
Adverse Events
Number of patients with adverse events and type of the adverse event
Time frame: week 17
Change in proinflammatory cytokine
Interleukin-6
Time frame: week 0
Change in proinflammatory cytokine
Interleukin-6
Time frame: week 5
Expectation
Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The Visual Analogue Scale is a continuous measurement device on which the degree of agreement is indicated by a cross between two end points. We define the end points of the Visual Analalogue Scale for expectations concerning treatment as "expecting the treatment to be not sucessfull at al" and "expecting the treatment to be extremely successful.
Time frame: week 0
Sleep Quality
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSQI contains 19 self-assessment questions and 5 questions rated by the bed-partner or roommate. The 5 questions rated by the bed-partner or roommate are only used as clinical information and not included in qualitative analysis. The question whether a bed-partner or roommate is present is not included in qualitative analysis as well. The 18 self-assessment items are used to evaluate the sleep quality on 7 domains over the last month (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction). Scoring of the answers is based on a scale from 0 to 3, whereby 3 reflects the negative extreme on a Likert Scale. The total score is generated by the summation of the component scores and can vary from 0 to 21, with a higher score corresponding to a reduced sleep quality. A cut-off score of 5 indicates a "poor" sleeper.
Time frame: week 17
Sleep Quality
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The PSQI contains 19 self-assessment questions and 5 questions rated by the bed-partner or roommate. The 5 questions rated by the bed-partner or roommate are only used as clinical information and not included in qualitative analysis. The question whether a bed-partner or roommate is present is not included in qualitative analysis as well. The 18 self-assessment items are used to evaluate the sleep quality on 7 domains over the last month (subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, and sleep disturbances, use of sleep medication, and daytime dysfunction). Scoring of the answers is based on a scale from 0 to 3, whereby 3 reflects the negative extreme on a Likert Scale. The total score is generated by the summation of the component scores and can vary from 0 to 21, with a higher score corresponding to a reduced sleep quality. A cut-off score of 5 indicates a "poor" sleeper.
Time frame: week 29