Acupuncture transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation reduces discomfort associated with barostat-induced rectal distension: A randomized-controlled study

Table 1 Demographic data of subjects in the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points and placebo transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points groups (mean ± SD)

Item	Acu-TENS group(n = 20)	PA group(n = 20)	P value
Age (yr)	53.4 ± 3.8	53.9 ± 3.5	0.669
Gender (male/female)	8/12	8/12	1.000
Body weight (kg)	63.9 ± 14.4	63.0 ± 9.35	0.825
Body height (m)	1.62 ± 0.07	1.61 ± 0.07	0.692
BMI(kg/m2)	23.9 ± 3.61	24.0 ± 2.53	0.899

Acu-TENS: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points; PA: Placebo transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points; BMI: Body mass index.

Table 2 Number of subjects in the transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points and placebo transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points groups identified with colonic polyps during the colonoscopy screening procedure

Location of polyps	Acu-TENS group(n = 20)	PA group(n = 20)
Right side (caecum, ascending colon, hepatic flexure, transverse colon)	4	3
Left side (splenic flexure, descending colon, sigmoid)	1	1
Rectosigmoid junction	0	0
Rectum	0	0
No abnormality	15	16

Acu-TENS: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points; PA: Placebo transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points.

Table 3 Perception threshold, distension pressures, levels of blood beta-endorphin in transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points and placebo transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points groups (mean ± SD)

	Acu-TENS	PA	P value
Perception threshold (mmHg)
First perception of distension	18.4 ± 4.2	16.8 ± 6.4	0.358
Urge to defecate	28.0 ± 4.5	24.6 ± 5.7	0.043
Discomfort or pain	36.0 ± 4.2	30.5 ± 4.3	0.002
Extreme pain	40.0 ± 6.7	35.4 ± 5.6	0.179
Pressure (n = 20)
40 mmHg	17 (85)	10 (50)	0.020
44 mmHg	13 (65)	3 (15)	0.001
48 mmHg	11 (55)	2 (10)	0.022
Levels of blood beta-endorphin (ng/mL)
Baseline	1.04 ± 0.35	1.22 ± 0.52	0.216
After 45 min of intervention	1.14 ± 0.41	1.13 ± 0.48	0.980
At 24 mmHg pressure	1.31 ± 0.40	1.04 ± 0.43	0.044
At maximal tolerable pressure or 48 mmHg	1.46 ± 0.53	0.95 ± 0.38	0.003

Acu-TENS: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points; PA: Placebo transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation over acupuncture points.