Clinical Observation of Acupuncture-moxibustion in Treating Irritable Bowel Syndrome / 上海针灸杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture-moxibustion in treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and its effect on serum indexes. Method Eighty-six IBS patients were enrolled and divided by the random number table into a control group and an observation group. The control group was intervened by medication, while the observation group was given acupuncture-moxibustion based on the medication. The clinical efficacy was evaluated and compared after 1 course of treatment; the main symptoms score, mental state, sleep quality, and expressions of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in serum were measured and compared before and after the intervention. Result The recovery rate was 34.9% and total effective rate was 90.7% in the observation group, versus 18.6% and 79.1% in the control group, and the clinical efficacy of the observation group was better than that of the control group (P<0.05). After the intervention, symptoms including abdominal discomfort, daily defecation times, stool form, with or without mucus, and the sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation showed significant improvements in both groups (P<0.05). The Symptoms scores of the observation group were superior to those of the control group (P<0.05). After the treatment, the scores of Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were improved in both groups (P<0.05); the scores of SAS, SDS and PSQI of the observation group were better than those of the control group after the intervention (P<0.05). The level of 5-HT declined in the control group after the treatment (P<0.05), while the levels of 5-HT, NPY and CGRP all declined in the observation group after the treatment (P<0.05); the three parameters in the observation group were lower than those in the control group after the intervention (P<0.05). Conclusion Acupuncture-moxibustion can produce a satisfactory result in treating IBS, since it can effectively ameliorate the serum biochemical indexes, symptoms, sleep quality and mental state.