Nocturia, the interruption of sleep due to nighttime voiding, severely compromises quality of life, emotional health, and overall well-being when occurring twice or more per night. Given that some patients experience inadequate responses to conventional Western therapies or harbor concerns about the long-term side effects of pharmaceuticals, many are turning to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for alternative solutions. This study utilized a randomized clinical trial design to investigate the efficacy and safety of acupoint moxibustion for nocturia.
Nocturia, the interruption of sleep due to nighttime voiding, severely compromises quality of life, emotional health, and overall well-being when occurring twice or more per night. Given that some patients experience inadequate responses to conventional Western therapies or harbor concerns about the long-term side effects of pharmaceuticals, many are turning to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for alternative solutions. This study utilized a randomized clinical trial design to investigate the efficacy and safety of acupoint moxibustion for nocturia. Using voiding diaries, the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), and Quality of Life (QoL) assessments, this study aimed to provide a cost-effective and clinically feasible complementary and alternative therapy. Furthermore, the TCM constitutional characteristics of nocturia patients were analyzed through the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) combined with evaluations of abdominal muscle tension.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
100
Apply moxibustion on acupoint
Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation
Hualien City, Taiwan
RECRUITINGfrequency of nocturia
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
nocturnal urine volume
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS)
Total score on the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). The scale ranges from 0 to 35, where higher scores indicate more severe symptoms (worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS)
Total score on the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS). The OABSS is a four-item questionnaire assessing daytime frequency, nighttime frequency, urgency, and urgency incontinence. The total score ranges from 0 to 15, where higher scores indicate more severe overactive bladder symptoms (worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
Quality of Life (QoL)
The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) Quality of Life (QoL) is a single-item questionnaire that assesses the patient's perceived satisfaction with their current urinary symptoms. Patients answer the question: "If you were to spend the rest of your life with your urinary condition just the way it is now, how would you feel about that?" The score ranges from 0 to 6, where 0 represents "delighted" and 6 represents "terrible." A higher score indicates a poorer quality of life (worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI)
The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a self-report questionnaire used to assess sleep quality over a one-month time interval. It consists of 19 individual items which are used to generate seven "component" scores: subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, habitual sleep efficiency, sleep disturbances, use of sleeping medication, and daytime dysfunction. The sum of these seven component scores yields one global score. The global PSQI score ranges from 0 to 21, where 0 indicates no difficulty and 21 indicates severe difficulties in all areas. A higher score indicates poorer sleep quality (worse outcome).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
Abdominal muscle tension
Muscle tone (tension) is measured using the MyotonPRO digital palpation device. The frequency (F) is calculated based on the oscillations of the muscle tissue after a mechanical impulse. The unit of measure is Hertz (Hz). A higher frequency indicates higher muscle tone (increased tension), which in the context of this study represents a worse outcome (abdominal tension).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
Abdominal muscle stiffness
Dynamic stiffness (S) is measured using the MyotonPRO digital palpation device. Stiffness (S) represents the ability of the muscle tissue to resist an external force. The unit of measure is Newtons per meter (N/m). A higher value indicates a stiffer or more rigid muscle, representing a worse outcome (increased abdominal rigidity).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
Abdominal muscle elasticity
Muscle elasticity is measured using the MyotonPRO digital palpation device. The logarithmic decrement (D) represents the muscle's ability to recover its shape after deformation (elasticity). This is a dimensionless value. A higher decrement value indicates lower elasticity and a longer recovery time, representing a worse outcome (reduced tissue elasticity).
Time frame: Baseline and Week 3 and Week 6
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