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Aim: As many as 83% of patients with dementia living in nursing homes have complained about pain. Acute exacerbation of chronic pain in elderly patients can have a serious impact on psychology and even attempt suicide. However, the effectiveness the drugs recommended for the elderly are limited, and these older people are more prone to have drug-related side effects. The aim of this study is to identify the analgesic efficacy of auricular point acupressure (APA) for acute exacerbation of chronic pain in patients with dementia in nursing homes. Methods: The study is designed to be a randomized, sham-controlled trial and is underway in a nursing home located in northwest of China. A total of 218 dementia patients with acute exacerbation of chronic pain and a score of pain≥4 on the Changhai Pain Rating Scale is being recruited from Bangniqinchun Nursing Home in Yinchuan, China and randomly allocated to accept either an intervention or a sham-controlled group in a 1:1 ratio. While the intervention group will be given APA therapy, the other group will receive sham APP treatment. The recruiters will be assessed at baseline (T0), at 5 min (T1) during treatment, and at 5 min post intervention (T2). The primary endpoint is the Changhai Pain Rating Scale mean change for pain at T0, T1, and T2 after the initial intervention. Physiological parameters, side effects and additional use of analgesics during the intervention, satisfaction from caregivers, acceptance of patients are evaluated as the secondary outcomes. Discussions: The results of this study are expected to prove the analgesic effect of APA for acute pain in patients with dementia. If providing scientifically sound results, it will have the potential to be the basis of the evidence-based guidelines for physical therapists in clinical practice and to be implemented widely in pain patients with dementia in nursing home. |
