Effect Comparison of Electro-acupuncture and Prucalopride for Severe Chronic Constipation: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Summary

This trial is primarily aimed to compare the effect and safety of electro-acupuncture and prucalopride for severe chronic constipation: if the short-term effect of electro-acupuncture is no inferior to prucalopride? Besides, the investigators will also mainly confirm the superiority of electro-acupuncture: if the effect of electro-acupuncture can last for 3\~6 months? Then, assess the patients' acceptance of electro-acupuncture.

Timeline

Start

2014-04

Primary completion

2016-08

Completion

2017-05

Publications

• Background Liu B, Wang Y, Wu J, Mo Q, Wang W, He L, Yan S, Liu Z. Effect of electroacupuncture versus prucalopride for severe chronic constipation: protocol of a multi-centre, non-inferiority, randomised controlled trial. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014 Jul 23;14:260. doi: 10.1186/1472-6882-14-260.
• Results Liu B, Wu J, Yan S, Zhou K, He L, Fang J, Fu W, Li N, Su T, Sun J, Zhang W, Yue Z, Zhang H, Zhao J, Zhou Z, Song H, Wang J, Liu L, Wang L, Lv X, Yang X, Liu Y, Sun Y, Wang Y, Qin Z, Zhou J, Liu Z. Electroacupuncture vs Prucalopride for Severe Chronic Constipation: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled, Noninferiority Trial. Am J Gastroenterol. 2021 May 1;116(5):1024-1035. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000001050.
• Gao S, Zhu L, Yao H, Fang J, Liu Z. Effect of electroacupuncture versus prucalopride for ultra-severe chronic constipation: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Integr Med Res. 2026 Mar;15(1):101253. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2025.101253. Epub 2025 Sep 12.

Drugs

Indications