Acupuncture for Chronic Severe Functional Constipation

• DOI: 10.7326/m15-3118
• Publication Date: 2016-09-12T22:32:22Z
• Authors: Zhishun Liu; Shiyan Yan; Jiani Wu; Liyun He; Ning Li; Guirong Dong; Jianqiao Fang; Wenbin Fu; Lixin Fu; Jianhua Sun; Linpeng Wang; Shun Wang; Jun Yang; Hongxing Zhang; Jianbin Zhang; Jiping Zhao; Wei Zhou; Zhongyu Zhou; Yanke Ai; Kehua Zhou; Jia Liu; Huanfang Xu; Yuying Cai; Baoyan Liu
• Keywords: Functional constipation

Acupuncture has been used for chronic constipation, but evidence its effectiveness remains scarce.To determine the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) severe functional constipation (CSFC).Randomized, parallel, sham-controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01726504).15 hospitals in China.Patients with CSFC and no serious underlying pathologic cause constipation.28 sessions EA at traditional acupoints or sham (SA) nonacupoints over 8 weeks.The primary outcome was change from baseline mean weekly complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) during weeks 1 to 8. Participants were followed until week 20.1075 patients (536 539 SA groups, respectively) enrolled. The increase CSBMs 1.76 (95% CI, 1.61 1.89) group 0.87 (CI, 0.73 0.97) (between-group difference, 0.90 [CI, 0.74 1.10]; P < 0.001). 9 20 1.96 1.78 2.11) 0.89 0.69 0.95) 1.09 0.94 1.31]; proportion having 3 more 31.3% 37.7% treatment follow-up periods, respectively, compared 12.1% 14.1% (P Acupuncture-related adverse events infrequent both all mild transient.Longer-term not assessed. Acupuncturists could be blinded.Eight increases is safe CSFC. Additional study warranted evaluate a longer-term follow-up.Ministry Science Technology People's Republic China through Twelfth Five-Year National Pillar Program.