OBJECTIVETo compare the effects between acupuncture with regulating mind and spleen and wes-tern medication for diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D).

METHODSEighty-one patients were randomly at the ratio of 2 to 1 assigned into an acupuncture group (54 cases) and a western medication group (27 cases). Acupuncture with regulating mind and spleen was applied in the acupuncture group for 6 weeks at Baihui (GV 20), Yintang (GV 29), Tianshu (ST 25), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), and Taichong (LR 3), once every other day, 3 times a week. Pinaverium bromide tablet was used orally in the western medication group for 6 weeks, 50 mg a time, 3 times a day. IBS symptom severity score (IBS-SSS) were observed before and after 1-week, 6-week treatment. Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was applied before and after 6-week treatment. Also, clinical efficacy was evaluated in the two groups.

RESULTSThree patients dropped out in the acupuncture group, and 1 in the western medication group. Except abdominal distension score after 1-week treatment in the western medication group, single scores and total scores of IBS-SSS apparently reduced in the two groups after 1-week and 6-week treatment (<0.01,<0.05). After 1-week treatment, the abdominal pain score of the acupuncture group was obviously lower than that of the western medication group (<0.05). After 6-week treatment, with abdominal pain relief advantage, other results including the number of pain days, defecation satisfaction,life disturbance degree and total score of the acupuncture group were obviously lower than those of the wes-tern medication group (<0.01,<0.05). After 6-week treatment, the PSQI score and its change before and after treatment in the acupuncture group were superior to those in the western medication group (both<0.05). The relief rate and relief plus obvious effective rate in the acupuncture group were higher than those in the western medication group[51.0% (26/51) vs 19.2% (5/26),<0.01; 64.7% (33/51) vs 34.6% (9/26),<0.05].

CONCLUSIONSAcupuncture with regulating mind and spleen for diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome can more effectively relieve abdominal pain than pinaverium bromide tablet at the early stage. Its total effect and single effects are better at the later stage on abdominal pain, seizure frequency, defecation satisfaction, life disturbance, and sleep quality.