Clinical efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with electroacupuncture at Baliao points for functional constipation: a retrospective study - Report - MDSpire
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Efficacy of Combining Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation with Electroacupuncture at Baliao Points in Treating Functional Constipation: A Retrospective Analysis
Clinical Report: Efficacy of Combining rTMS with Electroacupuncture for FC
Overview
This retrospective cohort study investigates the efficacy of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with electroacupuncture (EA) at Baliao points in treating functional constipation (FC). Results indicate that the combination therapy improved bowel frequency, symptom severity, quality of life, and colonic transit compared to EA alone.
Background
Functional constipation (FC) is a common gastrointestinal disorder affecting 10-15% of the global population, leading to significant patient dissatisfaction with current treatment options. The pathophysiology of FC involves complex interactions between colonic motility and the brain-gut axis. Novel therapeutic strategies, such as neuromodulation techniques like rTMS and EA, are being explored to enhance treatment outcomes.
Data Highlights
Outcome
Observation Group (rTMS + EA)
Control Group (EA)
p-value
CSBMs (week 8 median)
4.00
3.00
< 0.001
PAC-SYM Improvement
-6.18 (95% CI -6.50 to -5.85)
-
< 0.001
≥3 CSBMs/week
92.5%
88.0%
0.37
Large Response (≥3 CSBMs increase)
67.2%
17.3%
< 0.001
Adverse Events
22.39%
18.67%
0.583
Key Findings
The combination of rTMS and EA resulted in a significant increase in weekly complete spontaneous bowel movements (CSBMs) compared to EA alone.
Improvements in Patient Assessment of Constipation Symptoms (PAC-SYM) and Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) were significantly greater in the observation group.
Colonic transit time (CTT) showed significant improvement in the rTMS + EA group.
Both treatment groups had comparable rates of mild adverse events.
A large response (≥3 CSBMs increase) was more frequent in the rTMS + EA group compared to the EA group.
Clinical Implications
The findings indicate that combining rTMS with EA may enhance treatment outcomes for patients with functional constipation.
Conclusion
The addition of rTMS to EA at Baliao points appears to provide greater clinical benefits for patients with functional constipation, warranting further investigation through randomized controlled trials.
