Trial reportBMC gastroenterology2012
Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: primary care based pragmatic randomised controlled trial.
Trial report in BMC gastroenterology, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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
42 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 80 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effect of acupuncture on quality of life in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.PloS one · 2025Pooled it
- Acupuncture for functional gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of gastroenterology and hepatology · 2021Pooled it
- Homeopathy for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019Pooled it
- Effectiveness of acupuncture to treat irritable bowel syndrome: a meta-analysis.World journal of gastroenterology · 2014Pooled it
- Moxibustion in the management of irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC complementary and alternative medicine · 2013Pooled it
- Efficacy of acupuncture in refractory irritable bowel syndrome patients: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers of medicine · 2024Trial
- Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: 2-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial.Acupuncture in medicine : journal of the British Medical Acupuncture Society · 2017Trial
- Lifestyle Advice and Self-Care Integral to Acupuncture Treatment for Patients with Chronic Neck Pain: Secondary Analysis of Outcomes Within a Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of alternative and complementary medicine (New York, N.Y.) · 2017Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- Cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: findings from an economic evaluation conducted alongside a pragmatic randomised controlled trial in primary care.BMC gastroenterology · 2012Trial
- Novel avatar-based video-guided acupuncture imagery treatment for chronic low back pain: a randomised controlled trial in the USA.EClinicalMedicine · 2025Article
- Article
- The Autonomic Nervous System in Acupuncture for Gastrointestinal Dysmotility: From Anatomical Insights to Clinical Medicine.International journal of medical sciences · 2025Review
- The Multisystem effects of Long COVID Syndrome and Potential Benefits of Massage Therapy in Long COVID Care.International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork · 2024Article
- Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome by Chinese Medicine: A Review.Chinese journal of integrative medicine · 2023Review
- Clinical application of electroacupuncture in enhanced recovery after surgery.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciences · 2023Review
- Proteomic analysis of rat colonic mucosa following acupuncture treatment for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.PloS one · 2022Article
- Article
- Efficacy of acupuncture in refractory irritable bowel syndrome: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.BMJ open · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
12 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAcupuncture is used by patients as a treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) but the evidence on effectiveness is limited. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome in primary care when provided as an adjunct to usual care.
methods
designA two-arm pragmatic randomised controlled trial.
settingPrimary care in the United Kingdom. PATIENTS: 233 patients had irritable bowel syndrome with average duration of 13 years and score of at least 100 on the IBS Symptom Severity Score (SSS).
interventions116 patients were offered 10 weekly individualised acupuncture sessions plus usual care, 117 patients continued with usual care alone. MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcome was the IBS SSS at three months, with outcome data collected every three months to 12 months.
resultsThere was a statistically significant difference between groups at three months favouring acupuncture with a reduction in IBS Symptom Severity Score of -27.43 (95% CI: -48.66 to -6.21, p=0.012). The number needed to treat for successful treatment (≥50 point reduction in the IBS SSS) was six (95% CI: 3 to 17), based on 49% success in the acupuncture group vs. 31% in the control group, a difference between groups of 18% (95% CI: 6% to 31%). This benefit largely persisted at 6, 9 and 12 months.
conclusionsAcupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome provided an additional benefit over usual care alone. The magnitude of the effect was sustained over the longer term. Acupuncture should be considered as a treatment option to be offered in primary care alongside other evidenced based treatments.
trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials ISRCTN08827905.
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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 OpenQuestion graph.