Acupuncture treatment for depressive symptom in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: a randomized controlled study

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture treatment for depressive symptom in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).MethodsA total of 70 patients with IBS-D accompanied by depressive symptom were randomized into a control group and an observation group, with 35 cases in each group. The control group was treated with oral intake of pinaverium bromide tablets, and the observation group was treated with regulating liver and spleen acupuncture treatment. The two groups were treated for 4 weeks. The scores of IBS symptom severity scale (IBS-SSS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were assessed before and after treatment.ResultsAfter treatment, there were statistical significant differences in the scores of abdominal pain degree, abdominal pain frequency and defecation satisfaction level and the total score between the two groups (all P<0.05). The SDS score of the observation group was obviously decreased, and the improvement was significantly superior to that in the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionAcupuncture treatment can significantly improve gastrointestinal symptom and depressive symptom in patients with IBS-D.