Clinical study of electro-acupuncture treatment with different intensities for functional constipation patients

Abstract

Functional constipation (FC) is a common functional bowel disorder disease that affects life quality of a large number of people. This study aimed to explore the impact of different intensities of electro-acupuncture (EA) treatment for FC patients. Totally, 111 patients with FC meeting the Rome III criteria were randomly assigned to different intensities of EA groups (low and high intensity of EA groups) and medicine-controlled (MC) group. In EA groups, patients were treated with EA at quchi (LI11) and shangjuxu (ST37) bilaterally for 4 weeks, 5 times/week in the first 2 weeks, and 3 times/week in the last 2 weeks. In MC group, 5 mg mosapride citrate was administered orally 3 times/day for 4 weeks. Spontaneous bowel movement frequency each day was recorded using a constipation diary. Self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were used to assess the patients' psychological state. Cortisol (CORT), substance P (SP), and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were evaluated at baseline and at the end of 4 weeks after treatment. As compared with the baseline, there was statistically significant increase in stool frequency every week (P<0.01), but there was no statistically significant difference among the three groups. As compared with the baseline, after 4 weeks of EA therapy, the scores of SDS and serum levels of CORT were decreased significantly in low intensity of EA group (P<0.01), and the serum levels of SP and VIP were increased significantly (P<0.05); the scores of SAS and SDS and serum levels of CORT were decreased significantly in high intensity of EA group (P<0.05), and the serum levels of SP and VIP were increased significantly (P<0.05); the serum levels of CORT and VIP were increased significantly in MC group (P<0.05). As compared with MC group, after 4 weeks of treatment, the serum levels of SP were signifcicantly increased in low intensity of EA group (P<0.01). Low and high intensities of EA could increase the stool frequency, improve the FC patient's anxiety and depression, reduce the serum levels of CORT, and increase the serum levels of SP and VIP effectively. It is concluded that both low and high intensities of EA are effective for FC patients, but there is no significant difference between the low and high intensities of EA.

Home‐Based Transcutaneous Neuromodulation Improved Constipation via Modulating Gastrointestinal Hormones and Bile Acids

“…Tomita [ 40 ] found that STC patients' colon had a weaker response to VIP than normal colon. Xiong et al [ 41 ] found that different frequency of electroacupuncture at Quchi point and ST36 could elevate the VIP level in serum of FC patients and relieve the symptoms. This study showed that the plasma level of VIP in FC patients was lower than that of control group, and 4-week therapy did not cause significant change.…”

The Efficacy and Safety of Transcutaneous Acupoint Interferential Current Stimulation for Cancer Pain Patients With Opioid-Induced Constipation: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study

“…In the previous IFC studies, 13 , 31 the electrodes were unambiguously positioned on the belly or belly and back; unlike these studies, the positions in our study were determined definitely according to acupoint theory. However, different acupoints were also used in some other research for patients with constipation 11 , 32 , 33 ; for example, the He-Sea points (Zusanli, ST36; Shangjuxu, ST37, etc). Wu et al 32 argued that He-Sea acupoint prescription is the best choice for the treatment of functional constipation in comparison with other acupoints.…”

“… 3 , 10 In recent years, acupuncture and electroacupuncture have been confirmed as effective in the management of GI motility disorders, such as chronic treatment-resistant constipation. 11 , 12 Compared with traditional acupuncture and electrical acupuncture, transcutaneous acupoint interferential current (IFC) therapy has the advantage of being noninvasive as well as amenable to adjustability of stimulation frequency and intensity objectively and quantifiably; therefore, it is increasingly being applied in various GI diseases. 13 - 16 In this study, we assess transcutaneous acupoint IFC stimulation with pad electrodes on the belly (acupoints ST25 and RN12) in cancer pain patients with OIC, compared with oral lactulose administration, to observe its efficacy and safety in this population.…”

Electroacupuncture at ST25 Inhibits Cisapride‐Induced Gastric Motility in an Intensity‐Dependent Manner

“…As previously noted, there has been a great deal of published research concerning the optimal frequency of EA [ 1 , 2 ]. There is also some literature regarding EA intensity effects [ 15 ]. However, to date, there is very little known about the intensity-response effect of EA, in either clinical trials or preclinical experiments.…”