NCT00746200

Acupuncture for Chronic Constipation

Randomised Controlled Trial of Acupuncture for Patients With Chronic Constipation

• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 80 (actual)
• Sponsor: National Taiwan University Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 20 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Since there have been few advances for constipation in laxative treatment in the last 50 years, this study is designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for patients with chronic constipation based on the theory of traditional Chinese Medicine.

Detailed description

Although many people regard regular defecation as important factor to maintain healthy, constipation is still a common problem in general population. Because the symptoms cause serious impairment of life quality, laxatives are commonly prescribed for people and over prescribing of laxatives is also common. Despite the large sums spent on laxatives, there have been few advances in laxative treatment in the last 50 years and there have been minimal research addressing the problem. Since there is unsatisfactory effect by current pharmacologic therapies and preventive strategies, we look forward to the practice of traditional Chinese medicine, which had abundant clinical experiences and medical records in the past of thousands years ago. Therefore we aim to do the research to create the evidence of acupuncture on the safety, efficacy and quality of life for chronic constipation.

Conditions

• Chronic Constipation

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	(electro)acupuncture	Frequency of electrostimulation: 15Hz; Duration of electrostimulation: 20min;
PROCEDURE	sham acupuncture	Superficial acupuncture needle stimulation at non-acupoints with TENS applied for seconds

Timeline

• Start date: 2008-10-01
• Primary completion: 2010-04-01
• Completion: 2010-05-01
• First posted: 2008-09-03
• Last updated: 2010-05-12

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Taiwan