Indirect moxibustion therapy improves insomnia and associated symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
- 1Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Mental Health, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of low-dose dexzopiclone combined with Indirect moxibustion (IM), compared with sham Indirect moxibustion (SIM), on sleep quality (PSQI) and quality of life (SQLS) in patients with schizophrenia and comorbid insomnia.
Methods: This single-center randomized controlled trial (NCT06171308) obtained ethics approval from Shanghai Mental Health Center (SMHC-IRB-2023-08). A total of 120 participants were randomly assigned to the IM group (n = 60) or the SIM group (n = 60), receiving 8 weeks of standardized intervention.
Results: Baseline PSQI and SQLS scores were comparable between the two groups. After 4 and 8 weeks, the IM group demonstrated significantly lower PSQI and SQLS scores than the SIM group (PSQI at week 4: 10.10 ± 1.76 vs. 13.50 ± 1.65, week 8: 10.65 ± 1.54 vs. 12.77 ± 2.05, SQLS at week 4: 28.78 ± 8.84 vs. 35.56 ± 3.38, week 8: 30.36 ± 10.63 vs. 38.07 ± 3.42). The improvement in the IM group was significantly greater than that in the SIM group in terms of change from baseline (PSQI: −3.399 [95% CI: −4.078 to −2.719] at week 4, −2.115 [95% CI: −2.795 to −1.435] at week 8, SQLS: −6.801 [95% CI: −9.104 to −4.462] at week 4, −7.732 [95% CI: −10.071 to −5.393] at week 8), with all adjusted intergroup differences being statistically significant (P < 0.001).
Conclusions: Adjunctive Indirect Moxibustion led to statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in sleep quality and quality of life compared to sham procedure in this patient population over an 8-week period. These preliminary findings suggest IM is a promising adjunctive therapy. Further multicenter, long-term trials with expanded outcome indicators are required to validate its generalizability and sustained efficacy.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-026-09915-w.
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BibTeX
@article{cai2026indirect,
title = {{Indirect moxibustion therapy improves insomnia and associated symptoms in patients with schizophrenia}},
author = {Jing Cai and Mei Wu and Jianming Zhang},
journal = {Trials},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1186/s13063-026-09915-w},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-026-09915-w},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Indirect moxibustion therapy improves insomnia and associated symptoms in patients with schizophrenia
AU - Jing Cai
AU - Mei Wu
AU - Jianming Zhang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/29
JO - Trials
DO - 10.1186/s13063-026-09915-w
UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-026-09915-w
AB - Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of low-dose dexzopiclone combined with Indirect moxibustion (IM), compared with sham Indirect moxibustion (SIM), on sleep quality (PSQI) and quality of life (SQLS) in patients with schizophrenia and comorbid insomnia. Methods: This single-center randomized controlled trial (NCT06171308) obtained ethics approval from Shanghai Mental Health Center (SMHC-IRB-2023-08). A total of 120 participants were randomly assigned to the IM group (n = 60) or the SIM group (n = 60), receiving 8 weeks of standardized intervention. Results: Baseline PSQI and SQLS scores were comparable between the two groups. After 4 and 8 weeks, the IM group demonstrated significantly lower PSQI and SQLS scores than the SIM group (PSQI at week 4: 10.10 ± 1.76 vs. 13.50 ± 1.65, week 8: 10.65 ± 1.54 vs. 12.77 ± 2.05, SQLS at week 4: 28.78 ± 8.84 vs. 35.56 ± 3.38, week 8: 30.36 ± 10.63 vs. 38.07 ± 3.42). The improvement in the IM group was significantly greater than that in the SIM group in terms of change from baseline (PSQI: −3.399 [95% CI: −4.078 to −2.719] at week 4, −2.115 [95% CI: −2.795 to −1.435] at week 8, SQLS: −6.801 [95% CI: −9.104 to −4.462] at week 4, −7.732 [95% CI: −10.071 to −5.393] at week 8), with all adjusted intergroup differences being statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Adjunctive Indirect Moxibustion led to statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in sleep quality and quality of life compared to sham procedure in this patient population over an 8-week period. These preliminary findings suggest IM is a promising adjunctive therapy. Further multicenter, long-term trials with expanded outcome indicators are required to validate its generalizability and sustained efficacy. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-026-09915-w.
SN - 1745-6215
ER -