Clinical Research of Acupuncture plus Ginger-partitioned Moxibustion for Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Objective To observe the clinical effect of acupuncture plus ginger-partitioned moxibustion in treating diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome(D-IBS). Method Ninety D-IBS patients were randomized into an acupuncture-moxibustion group(acupuncture plus ginger-partitioned moxibustion), an acupuncture group, and a Western medication group(Pinaverium bromide), 30 patients in each group. The clinical effect, symptom score, and quality of life in the 3 groups were observed. Result The general clinical effect of the acupuncture-moxibustion group was significantly higher than that of the acupuncture group and Western-medication group(P0.05), but there was no significant difference in comparing the total effective rate between the acupuncture group and acupuncture-moxibustion group(P0.05). After treatment, the Western medication group showed marked decreases in abdominal pain, abdominal distension and discomfort, defecation property, and defecation frequency(P0.01); the acupuncture group showed significant decreases in abdominal pain, abdominal distension and discomfort, mucous stool, and appetite(P0.05, P0.01); the acupuncture-moxibustion group had significant decreases in abdominal pain, abdominal distension and discomfort, defecation property, defecation frequency, mucous stool, and appetite(P0.01). The quality of life score changed significantly in all groups after treatment(P0.05, P0.01); the changes of quality of life score in the acupuncture group and acupuncture-moxibustion group were both significantly higher than that in the Western-medication group(P0.01); the change of quality of life score in the acupuncture-moxibustion group was significantly higher than that in the acupuncture group(P0.01). Conclusion Acupuncture plus ginger-partitioned moxibustion and acupuncture alone both can produce a higher therapeutic efficacy than Pinaverium bromide in treating D-IBS; acupuncture plus ginger-partitioned moxibustion is superior to acupuncture alone.