title: Electroacupuncture for tapering off long-term benzodiazepine use: study protocol of randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conventional approaches for benzodiazepine tapering have their limitations. Anecdotal studies have shown that acupuncture is a potential treatment for facilitating successful benzodiazepine tapering. As of today, there was no randomized controlled trial examining its efficacy and safety. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of using electroacupuncture as an adjunct treatment to gradual tapering of benzodiazepine doses in complete benzodiazepine cessation in long-term benzodiazepine users.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study protocol of a randomized, assessor- and subject-blinded, controlled trial is presented. One hundred and forty-four patients with histories of using benzodiazepines in ≥50% of days for more than 3 months will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either electroacupuncture or placebo electroacupuncture combined with gradual benzodiazepine tapering schedule. Both experimental and placebo treatments will be delivered twice per week for 4 weeks. Major assessments will be conducted at baseline, week 6 and week 16 post-randomization. Primary outcome is the cessation rate of benzodiazepine use. Secondary outcomes include the percentage change in the doses of benzodiazepine usage and the severity of withdrawal symptoms experienced based on the Benzodiazepine Withdrawal Symptom Questionnaire, insomnia as measured by the Insomnia Severity Index, and anxiety and depressive symptoms as evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Adverse events will also be measured at each study visit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study will provide high quality evidence of the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture as an adjunct treatment for benzodiazepine tapering in long-term users.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02475538 .
authors.affiliation: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Wing-Fai
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Yeung
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China. kfchung@hkucc.hku.hk.
authors.forename: Ka-Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Zhang-Jin
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Wai-Chi
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Shi-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Kowloon Hospital, 147A Argyle Street, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Roger Man-Kin
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, United Christian Hospital, 130 Hip Wo Street, Kwun Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Connie Lai-Wah
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Lai-Ming
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hunghom, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Yee-Man
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Li-Xing
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Lao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000188:drug therapy; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D015671:Electroacupuncture; D007319:Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D001569:Benzodiazepines
keywords: Acupuncture; Benzodiazepine discontinuation; RCT; Sham; Withdrawal