Efficacy of electroacupuncture on acute abdomen emergency care: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Yuan Ya Chang, Chih Wen Chiu, Chia Yun Chen, Chin Fu Chang, Tsung Chieh Lee, Lun Chien Lo, Chia Ying Lee, Kai Chang, Po Wei Chen, Chang Ju Hsieh, Yu Jun Chang, Sung Yen Huang, Yuan Ya Chang, Chih Wen Chiu, Chia Yun Chen, Chin Fu Chang, Tsung Chieh Lee, Lun Chien Lo, Chia Ying Lee, Kai Chang, Po Wei Chen, Chang Ju Hsieh, Yu Jun Chang, Sung Yen Huang

Abstract

Background: Acute abdomen is a common disease in the emergency department (ED) and usually results in huge medical expenditure. To relieve abdominal pain effectively and reduce bed occupancy rate in emergency rooms, electroacupuncture is a practical method in the treatment of abdominal pain.

Methods/design: Five hundred patients will be randomly and evenly divided into experimental and control groups. Both groups should have their basic information taken and their bilateral acupuncture points ( Hegu (LI 4), Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST37), Xiajuxu (ST39), Taichong (LR3), and Taibai (SP3)) will be intervened by electroacupuncture or vaccaria Seeds, in this clinical study. Electroacupuncture has been introduced to this experiment as an auxiliary technique. The experimental group will receive real electroacupuncture, but the control group will receive a placebo electroacupuncture in which transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation will not be turned on. After the intervention, we will evaluate the difference in abdominal pain, the length of stay at the emergent observation ward, and the proportion of revisits with abdominal pain.

Discussion: In Taiwan, medical expenditure is increasing annually because of the higher bed occupancy caused by acute abdominal pain in the hospital. We expect that the combined treatment of electroacupuncture and modern medical treatment will not only reduce bed occupancy and the length of ED stay but also effectively decrease the rate of readmission and revisits by 72 h. By means of electroacupuncture, the spiraling cost of health care can eventually be reduced.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03199495. Registered on 27 June 2017.

Keywords: Abdominal pain; Electroacupuncture; Emergency department; Ileus.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Flow chart of the study. Abbreviations: BPI brief pain inventory, VAS visual analog scale
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Schedule of enrollment, interventions, and assessments

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