title: Efficacy of electroacupuncture in the treatment of functional constipation: A randomized controlled pilot trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of electroacupuncture at Tianshu (ST25) for patients with functional constipation (FC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-six patients with FC were randomized to receive deep needling on bilateral ST25 (group A, 48 cases) or shallow needling on bilateral ST25 (group B, 48 cases) with electroacupuncture once daily for 4 weeks. The proportion of patients with four or more complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) per week, and scores of constipation symptoms and satisfaction with treatment were compared between two groups. Safety was also assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of patients with four or more CSBMs per week was 52.1% in group A, significantly higher than 25.0% in group B during the 4-week treatment (P<0.05). The constipation symptom score of patients were significantly improved in group A as compared with group B at week 2-4 (P<0.05). Patients in group A were more satisfied with their treatment compared with those in group B at week 1-4 (P<0.05). Five patients in group A felt significant pain and discomfort. No other adverse reaction was observed in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using electroacupuncture at ST25 to treat patients with FC is effectively, and deep needling had more stable effect than shallow needling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
authors.forename: Qi-Ming
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhi-Shun
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Cheng-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian-Qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003248:Constipation / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D003672:Defecation / Q000502:physiology; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult