Efficacy of Laser Acupuncture on Pruritus in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Undergoing Hemodialysis

Efficacy of Laser Acupuncture on Pruritus in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Undergoing Hemodialysis: A Multiple Centers, Randomized, Assessor- and Participant-blind, Controlled, Cross-over Clinical Trial

Uremic pruritus is a clinically significant symptom which imposes heavy impact on the quality of life of patients with chronic kidney disease undergoing hemodialysis. In order to investigate the clinical efficacy and mechanism, the investigators designed a multiple centers, randomized, assessor- and participant-blind, controlled, cross-over clinical trial. This trial will be conducted at Taichung branch, Feng-yuan branch and the Eastern branch of CMUH.

We plan to enroll 200 volunteer patients with uremic pruritus. After the waiting period (as the waiting list group), you will be randomized to laser acupuncture and sham laser acupuncture group. Each group will include 100 patients and given intervention according to their hemodialysis frequency, i.e., BIW or TIW. The intervention will then be crossed over to the other one after 4 week of wash-our period. Outcome measurement includes questionnaires, biochemistry analysis, instrumental analysis and medication score.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age>20y/o, ESRD patient, pruritus symptoms persist longer than 4 weeks

Exclusion Criteria:

• immunosupression agents use, undergo chemotherapy
• drug abuser
• pregnancy women
• patient with psychiological disorder
• arrhythemia, pacemaker device use
• local skin infection over laser acupuncture site
• patient allergy to laser acupuncture treament