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Yang Y, Rao K, Zhan K, Shen M, Zheng H, Qin S, Wu H, Bian Z, Huang S. Clinical evidence of acupuncture and moxibustion for irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Front Public Health 2022; 10:1022145. [PMID: 36589968 PMCID: PMC9801330 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.1022145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Acupuncture and moxibustion have been widely used in the treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). But the evidence that acupuncture and moxibustion for IBS reduction of symptom severity and abdominal pain, and improvement of quality of life is scarce. Methods PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP), Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Literature Service System (SinoMed), and unpublished sources were searched from inception until June 30, 2022. The quality of RCTs was assessed with the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias tool. The strength of the evidence was evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system (GRADE). Trial sequential analysis (TSA) was conducted to determine whether the participants in the included trials had reached optimal information size and whether the cumulative data was adequately powered to evaluate outcomes. Results A total of 31 RCTs were included. Acupuncture helped reduce the severity of symptoms more than pharmaceutical drugs (MD, -35.45; 95% CI, -48.21 to -22.68; I 2 = 71%). TSA showed the cumulative Z score crossed O'Brien-Fleming alpha-spending significance boundaries. Acupuncture wasn't associated with symptom severity reduction (SMD, 0.03, 95% CI, -0.25 to 0.31, I 2 = 46%), but exhibited therapeutic benefits on abdominal pain (SMD, -0.24; 95% CI, -0.48 to -0.01; I 2 = 8%) compared to sham acupuncture. Moxibustion show therapeutic benefits compared to sham moxibustion on symptom severity (SMD, -3.46, 95% CI, -5.66 to -1.27, I 2 = 95%) and abdominal pain (SMD, -2.74, 95% CI, -4.81 to -0.67, I 2 = 96%). Acupuncture (SMD, -0.46; 95% CI, -0.68 to -0.24; I 2 = 47%) and the combination of acupuncture and moxibustion (SMD, -2.00; 95% CI, -3.04 to -0.96; I 2 = 90%) showed more benefit for abdominal pain compared to pharmacological medications as well as shams. Acupuncture (MD, 4.56; 95% CI, 1.46-7.67; I 2 = 79%) and moxibustion (MD, 6.97; 95% CI, 5.78-8.16; I 2 = 21%) were more likely to improve quality of life than pharmaceutical drugs. Conclusion Acupuncture and/or moxibustion are beneficial for symptom severity, abdominal pain and quality of life in IBS. However, in sham control trials, acupuncture hasn't exhibited robust and stable evidence, and moxibustion's results show great heterogeneity. Hence, more rigorous sham control trials of acupuncture or moxibustion are necessary. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=262118, identifier CRD42021262118.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanming Yang
- Dongguan Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China
| | - Kehan Rao
- The Second Clinical College of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kai Zhan
- Dongguan Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China
| | - Min Shen
- School of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
| | - Huan Zheng
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shumin Qin
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haomeng Wu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoxiang Bian
- Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Clinical Study Centre, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China,Zhaoxiang Bian
| | - Shaogang Huang
- Dongguan Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, China,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China,*Correspondence: Shaogang Huang
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Shi YZ, Tao QF, Qin D, Chen M, Yu SG, Zheng H. Acupuncture vs. antispasmodics in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome: An adjusted indirect treatment comparison meta-analysis. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1001978. [PMID: 36277191 PMCID: PMC9583016 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1001978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Acupuncture has been extensively applied to manage irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in clinical practice in China. Some randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated their efficacy, but it has rarely been compared with first-line antispasmodics to verify their effectiveness. Therefore, we compare acupuncture with antispasmodics in the treatment of IBS by using an adjusted indirect treatment comparison meta-analysis. Methods: Embase, OVID Medline, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched from inception to 14 March 2022, with no language restrictions. RCTs comparing antispasmodics or acupuncture with placebo or one of the antispasmodics were enrolled. The primary outcome of interest was the improvement of abdominal pain. And the secondary outcomes of interest were the relief of global IBS symptoms and adverse events. The random-effects model was utilized to pool data. The effect size was measured by standardized mean difference (SMD) or relative ratio, and the effectiveness of acupuncture and different antispasmodics were ranked by P-scores. Results: Thirty-five RCTs (n = 5,190) were included. The analysis showed that cimetropium, drotaverine, acupuncture, and pinarverium were superior over placebo in relieving abdominal pain; cimetropium (SMD, −3.00 [95%CI, −4.47 to −1.53], P-score = 0.99) ranked the most effective. In pairwise comparisons, acupuncture had a greater improvement than most antispasmodics except cimetropium and drotaverine in relieving abdominal pain, although the between-group difference was statistically insignificant. In the analysis of continuous outcome in the relief of global IBS symptoms, the result showed that pinaverium was more effective (SMD, 1.72 [95%CI, 0.53 to 2.92], P-score = 0.90) than placebo. Trimebutine and acupuncture had greater improvements than placebo, but no significant difference was shown between groups. In pairwise comparisons, acupuncture was more effective than pinaverium (SMD, −1.11 [95%CI, −1.94 to −0.28]) in relieving global IBS symptoms. In the analysis of adverse events, acupuncture had a lower adverse event rate than most of the other antispasmodics. Conclusion: Cimetropium, drotaverine, and acupuncture were all better than placebo in improving abdominal pain. Acupuncture was preferred over pinaverium in relieving global IBS symptoms, and acupuncture had lower adverse events than most antispasmodics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-zhou Shi
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Qing-feng Tao
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Di Qin
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Chen
- The Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shu-guang Yu
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui Zheng
- Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Hui Zheng,
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Gan Y, Huang SL, Luo MQ, Chen M, Zheng H. Acupuncture in addition to usual care for patients with irritable bowel syndrome: a component network meta-analysis. Acupunct Med 2022; 40:403-414. [PMID: 35437029 DOI: 10.1177/09645284221085280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The efficacy of acupuncture alone in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is controversial, but the benefit of acupuncture added to usual care has rarely been studied. We aimed to examine the benefit of acupuncture added to usual care through network meta-analysis (NMA). METHODS PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched from their inception to 1 July 2021, without any language restriction. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) testing the effect of acupuncture alone or acupuncture combined with usual care for IBS were included. The primary outcome was improvement of global IBS symptoms. Standard NMA was performed to compare differential combinations of acupuncture (including manual acupuncture (MA) and electroacupuncture (EA)), and component network meta-analysis (CNMA) was subsequently performed to determine whether acupuncture provided additional benefits to usual care. The effect size of an intervention was measured using relative ratio (RR). RESULTS We included 25 RCTs (n = 3041 participants) after screening 582 retrieved articles. Five RCTs were classified as low risk of bias. The results of standard NMA showed that MA combined with usual care ranked the most effective (sham acupuncture as common comparator; RR = 1.96 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23 to 3.12)). The results of CNMA showed that MA was the most effective component (RR = 1.38 (95% CI, 1.12 to 1.70)) when added to usual care. CONCLUSION Acupuncture provided additional benefits to usual care, and it might be considered as adjunctive therapy for patients who respond inadequately to usual care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Gan
- The Third Hospital/Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shi-Le Huang
- Department of Anorectal Diseases, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Meng-Qi Luo
- The Third Hospital/Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Min Chen
- Department of Anorectal Diseases, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Hui Zheng
- The Third Hospital/Acupuncture and Tuina School, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Wang L, Xian J, Sun M, Wang X, Zang X, Zhang X, Yu H, Tan QW. Acupuncture for emotional symptoms in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263166. [PMID: 35085351 PMCID: PMC8794137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) also often have emotional symptoms, such as anxiety and depression. The main drugs used for the treatment of FGIDs mainly target single gastrointestinal symptoms and are not effective in regulating emotional symptoms. Evidence has shown that acupuncture can relieve gastrointestinal symptoms in FGIDs patients, but there is no high-quality evidence to show that acupuncture can relieve psychological symptoms in these patients. OBJECTIVES To systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture for emotional symptoms in patients with FGIDs. METHODS Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from database inception through July 31, 2021, were retrieved from three English-language databases (PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Embase) and five Chinese-language databases (the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, VIP, Chinese Biomedical, and TCM Literature Analysis and Retrieval databases). RCTs that compared acupuncture with sham acupuncture and pharmacotherapy were included in this study. The score on the depression or anxiety scale after treatment were considered as primary outcomes. The 'meta' package (version 4.19-0) in RStudio 1.1.463 was used to analyse the data. RESULTS A total of 2151 patients from 24 RCTs were included in this study. Compared with sham acupuncture, acupuncture was not significantly better at relieving anxiety (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.35, 95% CI -1.05 to 0.33) and depression (SMD -0.32, 95% CI -0.71 to 0.07) symptoms. Compared with pharmacotherapy, acupuncture was significantly better at relieving anxiety (SMD -0.64, 95% CI -0.93 to -0.35) and depression (SMD -0.46, 95% CI -0.69 to -0.22) symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This meta-analysis found that acupuncture can alleviate emotional symptoms in FGID patients better than pharmacotherapy. However, it is not clear whether this effect is based on the placebo effect, specific effect or nonspecific effect of acupuncture. The evidence should be proven by rigorously designed RCTs in the future. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42021271899.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling Wang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Jin Xian
- Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Mi Sun
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xue Wang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xiaoming Zang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Huijuan Yu
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Qi-Wen Tan
- Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, Shandong, China
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Billings W, Mathur K, Craven HJ, Xu H, Shin A. Potential Benefit With Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 19:1538-1553.e14. [PMID: 32961342 PMCID: PMC8112831 DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2020.09.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may pursue complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). We conducted a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis examining efficacy of CAM vs. placebo or sham in adults with IBS. METHODS Publication databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of CAM therapies (herbal therapy, dietary supplements, mind-body based, body-based, and energy-healing) in adults with IBS. Data were extracted to obtain pooled estimates of mean improvement in abdominal pain (standardized mean difference [SMD]) and relative risk (RR) of overall response using random effects models. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses along with quality assessments were completed. RESULTS Among 2825 articles identified, 66 were included. Herbal therapy (SMD=0.47, 95% CI: 0.20 to 0.75, I2=82%) demonstrated significant benefit over placebo for abdominal pain (low confidence in estimates). Benefit with mind-body based therapy for abdominal pain was of borderline significance (SMD=0.29, 95% CI: -0.01 to 0.59, I2=78%). Herbal therapy (RR=1.57, 95% CI: 1.31 to 1.88, I2=77%), dietary supplements (RR=1.95, 95% CI: 1.02 to 3.73, I2=75%), and mind-body based therapy (RR=1.67, 95% CI: 1.13 to 2.49, I2=63%) showed benefit for overall response compared to placebo (low confidence in estimates). Body-based and energy healing therapies demonstrated no significant benefit over placebo or sham for abdominal pain or overall response. CONCLUSIONS CAM therapies such as herbal or dietary supplements and mind-body based approaches may be beneficial for abdominal pain and overall response in IBS. However, overall quality of evidence is low. Rigorous, high quality clinical trials are warranted to investigate CAM in IBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wade Billings
- Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Karan Mathur
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Hannah J. Craven
- Ruth Lilly Medical Library, Indiana University School of Medicine
| | - Huiping Xu
- Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Andrea Shin
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Yang XY, Yang NB, Huang FF, Ren S, Li ZJ. Effectiveness of acupuncture on anxiety disorder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Ann Gen Psychiatry 2021; 20:9. [PMID: 33516258 PMCID: PMC7847562 DOI: 10.1186/s12991-021-00327-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A number of studies have shown the positive effects of acupuncture on state anxiety. However, the efficacy of acupuncture in treating anxiety disorder remains unclear. This review and meta-analysis aimed to explore whether acupuncture has a positive effect on anxiety disorder. METHODS Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published in English and Chinese were found through various electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, and the Chinese databases WanFang data, VIP Chinese Sci tech periodical database, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. The primary outcome variable was extent of anxiety symptoms. The secondary outcomes included side effects and dropout rate. Effect sizes were pooled by random-effects modelling using Rev Man 5.3. RESULTS Twenty RCTs were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. All included studies were designed for patients with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), and 18 studies were published in Chinese. Egger's test showed that the asymmetry of the funnel plot in all studies was not significant (t = - 0.34, p = 0.74). The meta-analysis of anxiety symptoms showed that acupuncture was more effective than the control condition, with a standard mean effect size of - 0.41 (95% CI - 0.50 to - 0.31; p < 0.001), and that acupuncture intervention showed good tolerance and safety in the treatment of anxiety disorder. CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that acupuncture therapy aimed at reducing anxiety in patients with GAD has certain beneficial effects compared to controls. More RCTs with high quality should be conducted to fully understand the role of acupuncture in the treatment of various types of anxiety disorder. The protocol of this review was registered at the Prospero International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (Registration ID: PROSPERO 2020CRD42020148536).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang-yun Yang
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 5 Ankang Hutong Deshengmen Wai, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100088 China
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ning-bo Yang
- First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Fang-fang Huang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China
| | - Shuai Ren
- Luoyang Fifth People’s Hospital, Luoyang, China
| | - Zhan-jiang Li
- The National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders & Beijing Key Laboratory of Mental Disorders, Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, No. 5 Ankang Hutong Deshengmen Wai, Xicheng District, Beijing, 100088 China
- Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Mao L, Lv FF, Yang WF, Zhang TF, Li ZC, Li DQ, Chen ZB. Effects of Baihui electroacupuncture in a rat model of depression. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2020; 8:1646. [PMID: 33490158 PMCID: PMC7812171 DOI: 10.21037/atm-20-7459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Background This study aimed to investigate the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on behavior in a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods A total of 45 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: the control, CUMS, and CUMS plus EA groups. Rats in the CUMS and EA groups were subjected to a 3-week CUMS condition, while rats in the EA group received EA at the Baihui (GV 20) acupoint (2 Hz, 0.6 mA) for 10 min once daily before being subjected to the CUMS condition. The sucrose preference test (SPT) was used as a measure to infer activation of the pleasure response to depression-like behaviour. After the behavioral test, 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was intraperitoneally injected (100 mg/kg) and brain samples were collected 24 h later for the detection of hippocampal BrdU. Cell proliferation was determined according to the proportion of BrdU-positive cells. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression was detected. Results The severity of anhedonia, BDNF+ cells, and BrdU+ neurons in DG significantly decreased in CUMS rats, and was accompanied by a reduced BDNF and BrdU+ expression (P<0.05). After EA, the low levels of BDNF+ cells and BrdU+ expression and the depression-like behavior increased markedly (P<0.05). Conclusions EA contributes to neuroprotection against CUMS by enhancing BDNF expression and improving hippocampal neurogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Mao
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fei-Fei Lv
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wen-Fu Yang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Shanxi Hospital of Oncology, Taiyuan, China
| | - Tian-Fang Zhang
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhong-Chun Li
- Department of Neurology, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - De-Qiang Li
- Department of Integrated Internal Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zuo-Bing Chen
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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Comparison between the Effects of Acupuncture Relative to Other Controls on Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis. Pain Res Manag 2019; 2019:2871505. [PMID: 31814859 PMCID: PMC6877908 DOI: 10.1155/2019/2871505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Background Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder with recurrent abdominal pain and altered defecation habits. We here attempted to determine the effect of acupuncture on IBS. Methods Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of science, and ClinicalTrials.gov till July 17, 2019 were searched. Outcomes were total efficacy rates, overall IBS symptom scores, or global quality of life scores. Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and risk ratio (RR) with 95% CI were calculated for meta-analysis. Results We included 41 RCTs involving 3440 participants for analysis. 8 RCTs compared acupuncture with sham acupuncture, among which 3 trials confirmed the biological effects of acupuncture, especially in treating abdominal pain, discomfort, and stool frequency. No significant difference was found when acupuncture was compared with sham acupuncture, in terms of effects on IBS symptoms and quality of life (SMD = 0.18, 95% CI −0.26∼0.63, P=0.42; SMD = −0.10, 95% CI −0.31∼0.11, P=0.35), but the pooled efficacy rate data showed a better outcome for true acupuncture (RR = 1.22, 95% CI 1.01∼1.47, P=0.04), which was not supported by sensitivity analysis. Acupuncture was more effective relative to western medicine in alleviating IBS symptoms (RR = 1.17, 95% CI 1.12∼1.23, I2 = 0%, P < 0.00001), whose effect might last 3 months. Besides, acupuncture as an adjunct to western medicine, Chinese medications, or tuina was superior over the single latter treatment (RR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.18 to 2.40, P=0.004; 1.19, 1.03 to 1.36, P=0.02; 1.36, 1.08 to 1.72, P=0.009, respectively), with high heterogeneities. Conclusions Relative to sham controls, acupuncture showed no superiority for treating IBS, while the advantage over western medicine was significant. Acupuncture could be used as an adjunct in clinical settings to improve efficacy. Future high-quality and large-sample-size studies with adequate quantity-effect design need to be conducted.
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