Acupuncture for Patients With Diarrhea-predominant IBS: a Randomized Controlled Trial

• Assessment score of Bristol stool scale [ Time Frame: 4th and 8th week after inclusion ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]

  Bristol stool scale was designed to classify the human stool into 7 categories.

  The seven types of stool are:

  Type 1: Separate hard lumps, like nuts (hard to pass) Type 2: Sausage-shaped, but lumpy Type 3: Like a sausage but with cracks on its surface Type 4: Like a sausage or snake, smooth and soft Type 5: Soft blobs with clear cut edges (passed easily) Type 6: Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool Type 7: Watery, no solid pieces. Entirely liquid

• Assessment score of SF-36 scale [ Time Frame: 4th and 8th after inclusion ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  The Short Form (36) Health Survey (SF-36) is a survey of patient health. The SF-36 is commonly used in health economics as a variable in the quality-adjusted life year calculation to determine the cost-effectiveness of a health treatment. The chinese version of SF-36 was validated and has been widely used in acupuncture studies.
• Number of patients with adverse events after treatment [ Time Frame: 4th week after inclusion ] [ Designated as safety issue: Yes ]
  Number of patients with adverse events after treatment will be recorded and compared among three groups.

This trial is to assess the effectiveness of three types of acupuncture for patients with functional diarrhea comparing to a positive drug control.

Outcome measurements:

The number of months patients were classified as adequate overall relief responder during the double-blind treatment period; The bristol stool scale; SF-36 evaluation

• Diarrhea-predominant Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Functional Diarrhea

• Other: acupuncture
  acupuncture group1, acupoints ST25 and BL25 will be used in this trial.
  Other Name: Acupuncture at Shumu acupoints
• Other: acupuncture group2
  Acupoints LI11 and ST37 will be used in this group. LI11 is located at upper limb while ST37 is located at the lower limb.
  Other Name: Acupuncture at Hemu acupoints
• Other: acupuncture group3
  All acupoints used in acupuncture group1 and group2 will be used in this group.
  Other Name: Acupuncture at Shumu and Hemu acupoints
• Drug: Loperamide
  Loperamide will be used in this group for a dose of 2mg a time, three time a day.
  Other Name: Luopaidingan

• Experimental: acupuncture group 1
  Acupoints ST25 and BL25 will be used in the group. ST25 locate at the abdomen, while BL25 locate at the back.
  Intervention: Other: acupuncture
• Experimental: acupuncture group 2
  Acupoints LI11 and ST37 will be used in this group. LI11 is located at upper limb while ST37 is located at the lower limb.
  Intervention: Other: acupuncture group2
• Experimental: acupuncture group 3
  All acupoints used in acupuncture group1 and acupuncture group2 will be used in this group.
  Intervention: Other: acupuncture group3
• Active Comparator: Loperamide
  Loperamide will be used as an active comparator to the acupuncture groups.
  Intervention: Drug: Loperamide

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosed as diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome according to Rome III criteria;
2. Age between 18 and 65 years old;
3. Did not take any medicine for bowel symptoms and attend other clinical research;
4. Have inform consent signed.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Diarrhea caused by diseases such as infection, etc.
2. Patients can't express himself clearly or with mental diseases;
3. Tumor and other infectious diseases;
4. With other serious diseases of Cardiovascular, liver, kidney, digestive or blood system; Pregnant women or planned to be pregnant.