RESUMEN
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare therapeutic effects of abdominal electroacupuncture (EA) and western medicine on poststroke constipation.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty cases were randomly divided into an EA group and a medication group, 40 cases in each group. The EA group were treated with EA at Daheng (SP 15), Fujie (SP 14), Tianshu (ST 25), Shuidao (ST 28), etc., once a day, 30 min each session, and the medication group with oral administration of 10 mg Cisapride, thrice each day. Seven days constituted one course. After 2 courses, clinical therapeutic effects were evaluated by cumulative scores of symptoms.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total effective rate of 92.5% in the EA group was significantly better than 72.5% in the medication group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the cumulative scores of clinical symptoms significantly decreased in the two groups (P < 0.05) and the improving degrees of symptoms in the EA group was significantly better than that in the medication group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Abdominal electroacupuncture has a definite therapeutic effect on poststroke constipation, accelerating gastrointestinal movement.</p>