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

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Abstract

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).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Research Institute of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Meridian, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200030, China

    Ji-meng Zhao, Xiao-jun Yin, Lu-yi Wu, Chun-hui Bao, Huan-gan Wu & Yin Shi

  2. Medical Imaging Department, Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital, Jinhua, 321000, Zhejiang Province, China

    Jin-hua Lu

  3. Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital, Jinhua, 321000, Zhejiang Province, China

    Xing-kui Chen

  4. Department of Digestive System, Jinhua Municipal Central Hospital, Jinhua, 321000, Zhejiang Province, China

    Yue-hua Chen

  5. Radiology Department, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, China

    Wei-jun Tang

  6. Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, 46202, USA

    Xiao-ming Jin

Authors
  1. Ji-meng Zhao
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  2. Jin-hua Lu
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  3. Xiao-jun Yin
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  4. Lu-yi Wu
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  5. Chun-hui Bao
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  6. Xing-kui Chen
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  7. Yue-hua Chen
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  8. Wei-jun Tang
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  9. Xiao-ming Jin
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  10. Huan-gan Wu
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  11. Yin Shi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yin Shi.

Additional information

Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30973784) and the National Basic Research Program of China, 973 program (No. 2009CB522900)

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Zhao, Jm., Lu, Jh., Yin, Xj. et al. Comparison of Electroacupuncture and Mild-Warm Moxibustion on Brain-Gut Function in Patients with Constipation-Predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 24, 328–335 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-018-2838-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-018-2838-0

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