ArticleInternational journal of colorectal disease2025
Study protocol for a prospective, investigator-initiated clinical trial on the vascular effects of acupuncture in the abdomen and lower limbs for patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome.
Article in International journal of colorectal disease, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPhysicians classify irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea symptoms under the label IBS-D which represents a gastrointestinal disorder that meets specific functional diagnostic criteria. Studies show acupuncture helps manage IBS-D symptoms though researchers do not understand if specific treatment points in the abdomen provide better outcomes than standard acupuncture points in the lower body regions. The study investigates the effects acupuncture treatments using local and systemic needling techniques have on IBS-D symptom expression and gut microbial diversity features.
methodsThe study employs a randomized controlled single-blinded exploratory clinical trial design which includes 36 participants diagnosed with IBS-D via Rome IV criteria. Participants are randomly allocated to one of three groups: abdominal acupuncture, lower limb acupuncture, or standard treatment. Participants who receive acupuncture treatment receive eight sessions which are distributed throughout 4 weeks as clinicians activate specific points connected to gastrointestinal function. Lifestyle education and approved medications with symptom management make up the standard treatment provided to participants. The main outcome measures assess IBS Symptom Severity Scale (IBS-SSS) score changes from baseline at Week 5. Additional evaluation measures in this study comprise stool consistency examination alongside patient global assessments and cold-heat surveys along with EQ-5D-5L quality of life assessment and gut microbiota examination as secondary outcomes.
resultsResearch has been designed to evaluate how abdominal and lower limb acupuncture techniques compare in symptom relief and microbiota adaptation outcomes. The preliminary data is expected to reveal distinct patterns between local and wide-reaching effects which suggests that IBS-D treatment should be tailored on a personal basis.
conclusionThe comparison of abdominal and lower limb acupuncture treatment efficacy adds to our understanding of acupuncture therapy benefit for IBS-D. The results will help guide clinical practice and support the creation of tailored acupuncture treatments.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.