Inhalation Aromatherapy for Patients Undergoing Conservative Sharp Wound Debridement:

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Inhalation Aromatherapy: Patients are allocated to either the Inhalation Aromatherapy or Inhalation Placebo group in a 1:1 ratio via randomly permuted block randomization. The randomization sequence is generated by a non-study member using a computer-generated program. Allocation concealment is maintained through the use of sequentially numbered, opaque, sealed envelopes to prevent selection . Inhalation aromatherapy intervention an inhalation stick containing a blend of Asian aromatic plant extracts, including Basil, Elemi, and Calamansi, specifically selected for their pharmacological properties in alleviating anxiety, agitation, stress, and pain. Unlike conventional pharmacological interventions, the dose is not fixed but individually determined by the frequency of inhalation, varying based on individual pharmacokinetics and personal response to the aroma. Patients inhale at least twice, once in each nostril, beginning five minutes before the procedure and continuing throughout CSWD for up to ten minutes.

Study summary

The goal of this pilot clinical trial is to learn if inhalation aromatherapy works to reduce anxiety and pain in patients with venous leg ulcers undergoing conservative sharp wound debridement (CSWD). It will also learn about the feasibility of implementing this intervention in clinical practice. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Does inhalation aromatherapy reduce anxiety levels during CSWD procedures, as measured by STAI-S scores? Does inhalation aromatherapy reduce pain intensity during CSWD procedures? Is inhalation aromatherapy feasible and acceptable to implement in a clinical setting? What are the protocol adherence rates and potential areas of missing data?

Researchers will compare inhalation aromatherapy using Asian essential oil extracts to standard care to see if aromatherapy works to reduce anxiety and pain during wound debridement.

Participants will:

Receive either inhalation aromatherapy or standard care during their CSWD procedure Complete State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) questionnaires before and after the procedure Rate their pain intensity using visual analog scales during the debridement Provide feedback on treatment satisfaction and acceptability Attend clinic visits for wound debridement as part of their standard care

This pilot study hypothesizes that inhalation aromatherapy is feasible and acceptable to implement in a clinical setting and may be associated with differences in anxiety and pain intensity during CSWD, compared to standard care

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Participation Rate — Throughout the 12-month data collection period from October 2026 to September 2027.
  The number of recruited patients divided by total eligible patients approached, expressed as a percentage.
• Retention rate — The number of participants completed 3rd clinic visit/15th day, across the 12-month data collection period from October 2026 to September 2027. Clinic visit 1 - 1st Day- week 1, Clinic visit 2 -8th Day- week 2, Clinic visit 3- 15th Day- week 3.
  The number of patients remaining divided by total patients who consented, expressed as a percentage.
• Percentage Change in State Anxiety Level During Conservative Sharp Wound Debridement — Completed at 3rd clinic visit/15th day, across the 12-month data collection period from October 2026 to September 2027. Clinic visit 1 - 1st Day- week 1, Clinic visit 2 -8th Day- week 2, Clinic visit 3- 15th Day- week 3
  Percentage change in STAI-S score at T1 (2nd clinic visit/2nd week/8th day): (pre-CSWD STAI-S minus post-CSWD STAI-S) divided by pre-CSWD STAI-S, multiplied by 100. Unit: percentage change on STAI-S scale. Percentage change in STAI-S score at T2 (3rd clinic visit/3rd week/15th Day), calculated. Unit: percentage change on STAI-S scale. Reported separately to assess sustainability of effect over time.

Trial sites (2)

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