Evaluating the analgesic effect and advantage of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation combined with opioid drugs for moderate to severe cancer-related pain: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS), which is also known as acupuncture-like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), has been widely used in acute or chronic pain. However, previous research has not demonstrated that TEAS is effective for cancer-related pain. Opioid drugs are strongly recommended for treating cancer-related pain, but opioid-induced immunosuppression is still the most intractable drug-induced medical problem. Evaluating the efficacy and potential advantage of TEAS combined with opioid drugs in moderate and severe cancer-related pain in China is important because such studies are lacking.

Methods/design

This trial is a multicenter, prospective randomized controlled clinical trial. In total, 160 patients who were enrolle

SUBMITTER: Liang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6329064 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature