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Electroacupuncture as Adjunctive Therapy for Organ Dysfunction Among Chinese ICU Patients with Sepsis: Study Protocol
Qi Meng1,2, Ling-Ling Yu3, Xiang-Hong Jing4
1Department of Critical Care Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
Current Medical Science
|July 23, 2026
Summary
This study investigates electroacupuncture (EA) as a novel adjunctive therapy for sepsis patients in the ICU. We aim to determine if EA can improve organ function and reduce mortality in sepsis.
Area of Science:
- Critical Care Medicine
- Integrative and Complementary Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Sepsis is a life-threatening condition characterized by organ dysfunction and high mortality rates.
- Early recovery of organ function is critical for improving sepsis patient outcomes.
- Electroacupuncture (EA) shows promise as an adjunctive therapy, but its efficacy for sepsis-related organ dysfunction requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture (EA) in improving organ dysfunction in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with sepsis.
- To assess the impact of EA on Sepsis-Related Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores and other clinical outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A single-center, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial with an adaptive sample size (154-500 patients).
- Patients will be randomized to receive either EA or sham EA treatment for 6 consecutive 30-minute sessions.
- The primary outcome is the change in total SOFA score at day 7; secondary outcomes include SOFA score changes, mortality, and ICU/hospital/organ support-free days up to day 28.
Main Results:
- This section is to be filled upon study completion.
Conclusions:
- The findings are expected to provide evidence for EA's potential as an adjunctive therapy to promote organ function recovery in sepsis patients.
- EA may offer a novel therapeutic approach to improve outcomes for critically ill sepsis patients.