Please select the arm or intervention descriptions that belong to the clinical trial below.
Title: Analgetic Effectiveness of Acupuncture When Compared to a Standardised Analgesic Regimen in the Treatment of Herpes Zoster Neuralgia
Brief Summary: Symptoms that herald herpes zoster include pruritus, dysesthesia and pain along the distribution of the involved dermatome. The most distressing symptom is typically pain and the most feared complication is postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), the persistence of pain long after rash healing. PHN is defined as pain persisting more than 3 months after the rash has healed. Both, the acute pain associated with herpes zoster and the chronic pain of PHN, have multiple adverse effects on health-related quality of life.

The primary objective of the trial presented is to investigate whether a 4 week semi-standardised acupuncture is non-inferior (first step) or superior (second step) to (a) the anticonvulsive drug gabapentin and (b) sham laser acupuncture in the treatment of pain associated with herpes zoster in addition to standardised analgesics. Secondary objectives include an assessment of the change of sensoric function, of long-term effectiveness, the occurrence of PHN and an evaluation of several pain specific questionnaires


Options:
A: Arm Label: Placebo; Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Drug: Placebo | Arm Label: GEn 1200mg/day; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: GEn 1200mg/day | Arm Label: GEn 2400mg/day; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: GEn 2400mg/day | Arm Label: GEn 3600mg/day; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: GEn 3600mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: GEn 1200mg/day; Assigned to Arm(s): GEn 1200mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: GEn 2400mg/day; Assigned to Arm(s): GEn 2400mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: GEn 3600mg/day; Assigned to Arm(s): GEn 3600mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: Placebo; Assigned to Arm(s): Placebo
B: Arm Label: Sham-laser acupuncture; Type: SHAM_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Device: Sham-laser acupuncture | Arm Label: gabapentine; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Drug: gabapentine | Arm Label: Acupuncture; Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Procedure: Acupuncture | Intervention Type: DEVICE; Name: Sham-laser acupuncture; Assigned to Arm(s): Sham-laser acupuncture | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: gabapentine; Assigned to Arm(s): gabapentine | Intervention Type: PROCEDURE; Name: Acupuncture; Assigned to Arm(s): Acupuncture
C: Arm Label: GEn 1200mg/day; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: GEn 1200mg/day | Arm Label: GEn 3600mg/day; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: GEn 3600mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: GEn 1200mg/day; Assigned to Arm(s): GEn 1200mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: GEn 3600mg/day; Assigned to Arm(s): GEn 3600mg/day
D: Arm Label: Placebo; Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR; Interventions: Drug: Placebo | Arm Label: Pregabalin; Type: OTHER; Interventions: Drug: Pregabalin | Arm Label: GEn 1200mg/day; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: GEn 1200mg/day | Arm Label: GEn 2400mg/day; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: GEn 2400mg/day | Arm Label: GEn 3600mg/day; Type: EXPERIMENTAL; Interventions: Drug: GEn 3600mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: Placebo; Assigned to Arm(s): Placebo | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: GEn 1200mg/day; Assigned to Arm(s): GEn 1200mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: GEn 2400mg/day; Assigned to Arm(s): GEn 2400mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: GEn 3600mg/day; Assigned to Arm(s): GEn 3600mg/day | Intervention Type: DRUG; Name: Pregabalin; Assigned to Arm(s): Pregabalin

Answer: B