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- Title
A Treatment Trial of Acupuncture in IBS Patients.
- Authors
Lembo, Anthony J.; Conboy, Lisa; Kelley, John M.; Schnyer, Rosa S.; McManus, Claire A.; Quilty, Mary T.; Kerr, Catherine E.; Drossman, Doug; Jacobson, Eric E.; Davis, Roger B.; Kaptchuk, Ted J.
- Abstract
OBJECTIVES:This study aimed to compare the effects of true and sham acupuncture in relieving symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).METHODS:A total of 230 adult IBS patients (75% females, average age: 38.4 years) were randomly assigned to 3 weeks of true or sham acupuncture (6 treatments) after a 3-week “run-in” with sham acupuncture in an “augmented” or “limited” patient–practitioner interaction. A third arm of the study included a waitlist control group. The primary outcome was the IBS Global Improvement Scale (IBS-GIS) (range: 1–7); secondary outcomes included the IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS), the IBS Adequate Relief (IBS-AR), and the IBS Quality of Life (IBS-QOL).RESULTS:Although there was no statistically significant difference between acupuncture and sham acupuncture on the IBS-GIS (41 vs. 32%, P=0.25), both groups improved significantly compared with the waitlist control group (37 vs. 4%, P=0.001). Similarly, small differences that were not statistically significant favored acupuncture over the other three outcomes: IBS-AR (59 vs. 57%, P=0.83), IBS-SSS (31 vs. 21%, P=0.18), and IBS-QOL (17 vs. 13%, P=0.56). Eliminating responders during the run-in period did not substantively change the results. Side effects were generally mild and only slightly greater in the acupuncture group.CONCLUSIONS:This study did not find evidence to support the superiority of acupuncture compared with sham acupuncture in the treatment of IBS.Am J Gastroenterol 2009; 104:1489–1497; doi:10.1038/ajg.2009.156; published online 19 May 2009
- Subjects
IRRITABLE colon; ACUPUNCTURE; CLINICAL trials; PHYSICIAN-patient relations; GASTROENTEROLOGY
- Publication
American Journal of Gastroenterology (Springer Nature), 2009, Vol 104, Issue 6, p1489
- ISSN
0002-9270
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1038/ajg.2009.156