Comparison of Electroacupuncture and Mild-Warm Moxibustion on Brain-Gut Function in Patients with Constipation-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and mild-warm moxibustion (Mox) therapies for constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (C-IBS) patients. METHODS: Sixty C-IBS patients were assigned to 2 groups by simple randomized method, i.e. EA group (30 cases) and Mox group (30 cases). Both EA and Mox treatments were performed on bilateral Tianshu (ST 25) and Shangjuxu (ST 37) for 30 min each time, 6 times per week, for 4 consecutive weeks. The gastrointestinal symptoms and psychological symptoms of the two groups were scored before and after treatment. The effects on the corresponding functional brain areas, namely the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insular cortex (IC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were observed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared with the Mox group, greater improvements in abdominal distension, defecation frequency, diffificulty in defecation and stool features were observed in the EA group (all P<0.01), both Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale scores were signifificantly decreased in the EA group (all P<0.01). Finally, decreased activated voxel values were observed in the ACC, right IC and PFC brain regions of EA group with 150 mL colorectal distension stimulation (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Both EA and Mox could signifificantly improve some of the most intrusive symptoms of C-IBS patients, and EA was more effective than Mox. The therapeutic effect of these two therapies might through modulating of the brain-gut axis function. (Registration No. ChiCTRTRC-11001349).

Electroacupuncture versus Moxibustion for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized, Parallel-Controlled Trial.

Objective. To compare the impacts of electroacupuncture (EA) and mild moxibustion (Mox) on patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Method. Eighty-two IBS patients were randomly allocated into EA group (n = 41) and Mox group (n = 41) and received corresponding interventions for four weeks. Before and after the treatment, the Visual Analogue Scale for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (VAS-IBS) was used to evaluate the gastrointestinal symptoms and mental well-being; and the expression of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), 5-HT3 receptor (5-HT3R), and 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4R) in sigmoid mucosal tissue were detected. Results. Both EA and Mox can radically improve the total VAS-IBS score (P < 0.05), and EA was found to be more effective in ameliorating the symptom of constipation, while Mox was found to be more effective in ameliorating the symptom of diarrhoea. The abnormal expressions of 5-HT, 5-HT3R, and 5-HT4R in both groups were significantly improved after the treatments (all P < 0.05), and EA was superior to Mox in regulating the abnormally decreased 5-HT4R expression in IBS patients with constipation (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Electroacupuncture and mild moxibustion were both effective in improving IBS symptoms and modulate abnormal expressions of 5-HT, 5-HT3R, and 5-HT4R in the colonic tissue.

Comparison of electroacupuncture and moxibustion on brain-gut function in patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and moxibustion therapies on patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS). METHODS: A total of 60 D-IBS patients were randomly allocated to the EA group (30 cases) and moxibustion group (30 cases). Before and after treatment, the gastrointestinal symptoms and psychological symptoms were scored by Visual Analogue Scale, Bristol Stool Form Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD); the expressions of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-HT3 receptor (5-HT3R), and 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4R) in the sigmoid mucosal tissue were measured by immunohistochemical staining. Additionally, the effects on the functional brain areas of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), insular cortex (IC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) were observed by functional magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Compared with before treatment, both EA and moxibustion groups reported significant improvements in abdominal pain and abdominal bloating after treatment (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The moxibustion group reported greater improvements in defecation emergency, defecation frequency, and stool feature than the EA group (P<0.01). Both HAMA and HAMD scores were significantly decreased in the moxibustion group than in the EA group (P<0.01). Both groups demonstrated significantly reduced expressions of 5-HT, 5-HT3R and 5-HT4R in the colonic mucosa after treatment (P<0.01), with a greater reduction of 5-HT in the moxibustion group (P<0.05). Finally, decreased activated voxel values were observed in the left IC, right IC and PFC brain regions of patients in the moxibustion group under stimulation with 150 mL colorectal distension after treatment (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while in the EA group only PFC area demonstrated a reduction (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Moxibustion can significantly improve the symptoms of D-IBS, suggesting that moxibustion may be a more effective therapy than EA for D-IBS patients.

[Comparison of the therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture and probiotics combined with deanxit in treating diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To study and compare the therapeutic effects of electroacupuncture and probiotics combine Deanxit in treating diarrhea predominant irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS). METHODS: Totally 64 D-IBS patients accompanied with anxiety and/or depression were randomly assigned to the Western medicine group (Group A) and the electroacupuncture (EA) group (Group B), 30 patients in Group A and 34 patients in Group B. Patients in Group A took Bacillus licheniformis and Deanxit, while those in Group B received EA. Four weeks consisted of one therapeutic course. Three-month follow-up was carried out. The scoring for the digestive tract symptoms, HAMA score, and HAMD score were evaluated before and after treatment. The recurrence in the 3-month follow-up was also observed. RESULTS: The total effect rate was 86.67% in Group A and 88.24% in Group B with no statistical difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). There was statistical difference in the scoring for the digestive tract symptoms, HAMA score, and HAMD score (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the improvement of defecation frequency score, HAMA score, HAMD score between the two groups after treatment (P > 0.05). Better effects on improving abdominal pain score and abdominal distention score was obtained in Group B (P < 0.01), while better effects on improving the stool form score and mucus score were obtained in Group A (P < 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the recurrence rate between the two groups within the two-month follow-up (P > 0.05). The recurrence rate within the 3-month follow-up was obviously lower in Group B than in Group A (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: EA and Western medicine (probiotics combined Deanxit) could effectively treat D-IBS patients accompanied with anxiety and/or depression. Both of them had different superiorities in improving symptoms. But EA had better long-term therapeutic effects.