Analysis of Electroacupuncture Parameters for Irritable Bowel Syndrome: A Data Mining Approach

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a prevalent functional bowel disorder, has increasingly seen acupuncture incorporated into its clinical management. Despite this, a comprehensive summary of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation parameters and acupoint prescriptions tailored for IBS remains absent. This study endeavors to identify effective EA parameters for IBS through data mining methodologies.

To retrieve randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on EA for IBS published between 2013 and 2024, a comprehensive search was conducted across nine databases. EA parameters from eligible studies were extracted and evaluated for quality using the Cochrane's risk of bias tool (RoB 2). Descriptive statistics were computed using MS-Excel^®. Association rule analysis was undertaken in SPSS Modeler, whereas complex network analysis and co-occurrence network analyses were performed using Gephi and Origin, respectively.

A total of 30 RCTs involving 2906 participants were included. All included studies exhibit a low to high risk of bias. Key methodologic weaknesses are mainly attributed to insufficient randomization and lack of blinding. The frequently reported EA stimulation parameters were a frequency of 2 hz, using either dilatational or continuous waves, with a treatment duration of 30 minutes, a 4-week course, and once daily treatment. Across 32 acupoint prescriptions, 27 acupoints were identified, with the stomach and bladder meridians being the most frequently targeted. Acupoints ST25, ST37, and ST36 were most frequently used. The most supported combination of acupoints could be (ST25→ST37); k-core hierarchical analysis of complex networks revealed the core acupoints for IBS treatment, including ST25, ST37, ST36, SP6, LR3, BL25, LI11 and RN4.

A regimen combining dilatational/continuous waves, 2 hz, a 30-minute stimulus, a 4-week course, and the acupoint combination (ST25→ST37) may serve as a primary EA protocol for IBS. However, methodological constraints may undermine the robustness of these findings. Therefore, the clinical application of these therapeutic modalities requires further validation.