Effect of electroacupuncture at homotopic and heterotopic acupoints on abdominal pain in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

This study is a randomized, single-blinded, controlled, four-arm parallel trial. A total of 144  patients will be randomly assigned to four groups: a homotopic noxious stimulation group (group A), a homotopic innocuous stimulation group (group B), a heterotopic noxious stimulation group (group C), and a heterotopic innocuous stimulation group (group D). Each patient will receive 14 sessions o f treatment, twice per week for 7 weeks. The primary outcome will be pain intensity measured with the visual analog scale. The secondary outcomes will include the IBS Symptom Severity Scale, IBS Quality of Life questionnaire, pain threshold (PT), and the Symptom Checklist-90 for psychological dist ress. The PT will be measured before and after every treatment. All other outcomes will be evaluated before the 1st treatment, after 7th and 14th treatment, and 3 months later during follow-up.DiscussionThe aim of this study is to assess the analgesic effect of EA at homotopic (abdomen) acupoints and heterotopic (lower limb) acupoints on abdominal pain in patients with IBS, as well as the difference in analgesic effects between noxious and innocuous stimulation.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry,ChiCTR-IPR-15006879. Registered on 5 August 2015.
Source: Trials - Category: Research Source Type: clinical trials