[Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation improves oppilative symptoms and increases colonic transit in patients...

To evaluate the therapeutic value of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at acupoints in slow transit constipation (STC).

Thirty-nine patients with (STC) who met the Rome III diagnostic criteria, were randomly assigned to 2 groups: TENS treatment group including 2 males and 18 females, aged (46 +/- 14), undergoing TENS at the acupoints ST36 (Zusanli) and PC6 (Neiguan) twice a day, 30 min after breakfast and 30 min before going to bed, for 2 weeks, and control group, including 2 males and 17 females, undergoing sham TENS treatment at 2 sham acupoints. Questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the dyschezia scores. Self-rating depression scale (SDS) and self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) were used to assess the depression and anxiety status. X-ray examination with barium strips, radio-opaque marker, was used to detect the colonic transit status.

(1) The dyschezia symptom total score after treatment in the TENS treatment group was (9.05 +/- 0.58), significantly lower than that before treatment (18.30 +/- 0.45, P < 0.01), and the oppilative symptom total score after the sham treatment of the control group was (18.00 +/- 0.46), not significantly different from that before the treatment (18.03 +/- 0.45, P > 0.05). (2) The number of vestigial barium strips of the TENS treatment group was (7.2 +/- 1.2), significantly lower than that before treatment (15.1 +/- 1.1, P < 0.01), and the change was especially obvious in the colon sector (3.3 +/- 0.8 vs 11.0 +/- 1.0, P < 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in the number of barium strips in the control group before and after the sham treatment. (3) The score of SDS and SAS of the TENS treatment group after the treatment were 34.7 +/- 0.9 and (43.7 +/- 1.5 respectively, both significantly lower than those before the treatment (37.3 +/- 0.9 and 48.1 +/- 1.8 respectively, both P < 0.05), however, there were not significant differences in the SDS and SAS scores before and after the sham treatment in the control group.

TENS at the acupoints Zusanli and Neiguan is capable of improving the oppilative symptoms and ameliorating anxiety and depression state, promoting colonic transit in STC patients.