Controlled observation on the efficacy of acupuncture and western medicine on diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome

ObjectiveTo compare the difference in the therapeutic effects on diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome (D-IBS) between acupuncture based on soothing the liver and strengthening the spleen and western medicine.MethodsSeventy cases were randomized into an acupuncture group and a western medicine group, 35 cases in each one. In the acupuncture group, the conventional acupuncture was applied at Tiānshū ( ST 25), Zúsānlï ( ST 36), Shàngjùxū ( ST 37), Sānyīnjiāo ( SP 6), Tàichōng ( LR 3) and so on. Electric Stimulation was supplemented at bilateral ST 25. The treatment was given once a day, 3–4 treatments in a week. In the western medicine group, pinaverium bromide (dicetel) was prescribed for oral administration, 50 mg each time, three times a day. Four weeks made one session in the two groups. Separately, before treatment and after 1 session treatment, the integral of clinical symptom and the score in the scale of the quality of life measure for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-QOL) were observed for the patients in the two groups. The efficacy and recurrence rate were assessed in the two groups.ResultsThe symptom integral and IBS-QOL score in the two groups were improved significantly after treatment (all P<0.01), and the improvements in the acupuncture group were superior to that in the western medicine group (P<0.01). The effective rate was 94.3% (33/35) in the acupuncture group, which was superior to 77.1% (27/35) in the western medicine group (P<0.01). In 3 months, the recurrence rate was 36.4% (12/33) in the acupuncture group, which was lower apparently than 72.0% (18/25) in the western medicine group (P<0.01).ConclusionAcupuncture therapy based on soothing the liver and strengthening the spleen achieves the superior efficacy on D-IBS as compared with western medication, pinaverium bromide. This therapy improves apparently the quality of life of the patients and is lower in recurrence rate.