Thursday, September 18, 2025 9/18/2025

Acupuncture to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Sepsis: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Award Number: R21CA286330
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/01/2025
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2026

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Acupuncture to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Sepsis: a Randomized Controlled Trial - PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT: Sepsis is a life-threatening medical condition characterized by high levels of inflammatory markers and multi-organ damage. Despite standard treatment, sepsis remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients, especially cancer patients. Recently, it has been shown that acupuncture can induce dopamine production, suppress inflammation, and reduce sepsis in animal studies. Several randomized controlled clinical trials have shown that acupuncture may reduce mortality in sepsis patients. However the trials were unblinded and at risk for bias. Here we propose to fill the knowledge gap by conducting a randomized controlled, patient and evaluator blinded, phase 2 trial of acupuncture (the ACTIONS trial), using sham acupuncture as control, in patients at risk for sepsis. The specific Aims are: 1) to generate preliminary data for the estimated effect size of acupuncture in reducing mortality and ICU (Intensive Care Unit) admission of sepsis patients and to determine the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial of acupuncture in hospitalized patients who are at risk for sepsis; and 2) to explore whether acupuncture increases catecholamines and reduces inflammatory cytokines more than sham acupuncture. Seventy-eight patients at risk for sepsis, will be randomized to true or sham acupuncture daily for 10 days or until transfer to ICU, death, or discharge. Feasibility endpoints include as accrual rate, intervention delivery rate, attrition rate, and data completion rate. Efficacy endpoints include mortality and rate of ICU admission. Biomarker endpoints are plasma levels of catecholamines and pro-inflammatory cytokines, measured before and after the first acupuncture treatment. If this study shows that acupuncture is deemed feasible and the estimated effect size warrant a larger study, we plan to conduct a randomized controlled phase 3 study evaluate the definitive efficacy of acupuncture in improving outcomes of sepsis patients. The proposed study would be the first one acupuncture study on sepsis using sham acupuncture as control. The data will also shed light on the mechanism of action of acupuncture. This project has the potential of developing acupuncture as an innovative clinical approach in the management of sepsis. It challenges the current clinical practice paradigm and can lead to reduction of deaths due to sepsis.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $246,840 )
2025	2025	SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH	1275 YORK AVE	NEW YORK	NY	10065	NEW YORK	USA	Cancer Treatment Research	000	2	1/23/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$222,156
2025	2025	SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH	1275 YORK AVE	NEW YORK	NY	10065	NEW YORK	USA	Cancer Treatment Research	002	2	8/13/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$198,172
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE	160 ALDRICH HALL	IRVINE	CA	92697	ORANGE	USA	Cancer Treatment Research	003	3	8/13/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$198,172
2025	2025	SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH	1275 YORK AVE	NEW YORK	NY	10065	NEW YORK	USA	Cancer Treatment Research	001	2	7/18/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$24,684
														Subtotal = $246,840

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $205,700 )
2024	2024	SLOAN-KETTERING INSTITUTE FOR CANCER RESEARCH	1275 YORK AVENUE	NEW YORK	NY	10065	NEW YORK	USA	Cancer Treatment Research	000	1	3/8/2024	NEW	$205,700
														Subtotal = $205,700

Grand Total All Awards = $452,540

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Acupuncture to Improve Outcomes in Patients with Sepsis: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Award Number: R21CA286330

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 06/01/2025

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 02/28/2026

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer