Acupuncture for Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common bowel disorder seen by primary care by physicians and gastroenterologists. It is a gastrointestinal disorder that is believed to affect approximately 15%-20% of the adult population and is characterised by an array of symptoms including “abdominal distension, abdominal pain, and bowel dysfunction, characterised by loose bowels, constipation or a fluctuation between these two extremes”. Many patients have been led to seek alternative therapies such as acupuncture to treat their IBS. The lack of good quality trials meant that evidence for acupuncture was inconclusive, so further investigation was warranted.              

Led by Julia Reynolds, we conducted a pilot study to develop a platform for a full-scale randomised controlled trial to evaluate the clinical and economic benefits of offering acupuncture to patients being treated for irritable bowel syndrome. The project was based in South Birmingham and involved primary care referrals of patients with IBS to receive either a course of acupuncture or normal GP care alone.(Reynolds et al 2008)[Abstract]               

In 2008, the University of York received £250,000 funding from the National Institute of Health Research, in their Research for Patient Benefit scheme, to conduct a full-scale trial. Managed by the York Trials Unit, the trial recruited 233 patients from primary care. They received 10 sessions of acupuncture, mostly on a weekly basis, and then we followed them up over a period of twelve months so that we could measure outcomes. We published the results in 2012, which showed that acupuncture led to a significant improvement in clinical symptoms.(MacPherson et al 2012)[Abstract and free  full text]

We subsequently collected follow-up outcome data from patients at 24 months after randomisation, which shows significant clinical benefits of acupuncture are sustained at least to 12 months after randomisation (MacPherson et al 2017).[Open Access]

Key publication:

MacPherson H, Tilbrook H, Bland JM, Bloor K, Brabyn S, Cox H, Kang’ombe AR, Man M, Stuardi T, Torgerson D, Watt I and Whorwell P. Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: primary care based pragmatic randomised controlled trial. BMC Gastroenterology 2012 12:150. [Abstract and free full text]

Other publications:

MacPherson H, Tilbrook H, Agbedjro D, Buckley H, Hewitt C, Frost C. Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: 2-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. Acupunct Med J Br Med Acupunct Soc. 2017 Mar;35(1):17–23.[Open Access] 

​Brabyn S, Adamson J, MacPherson H, Tilbrook H, Torgerson DJ. Short message service text messaging was feasible as a tool for data collection in a trial of treatment for irritable bowel syndrome. J Clin Epidemiol. 2014 Jun 24; 67(9): 993-1000.[Abstract]

Stamuli E, Bloor K, MacPherson H, Tilbrook H, Stuardi T, Brabyn S, Torgerson D: Cost-effectiveness of acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: findings from  an  economic evaluation conducted alongside a pragmatic randomised controlled trial  in primary care. BMC Gastroenterol 2012, 12:138. [Abstract and free full text] 

Stuardi T, MacPherson H. Acupuncture for Irritable       Bowel Syndrome: Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients in a Pragmatic Trial.  J Altern Complement Med. 2012 18(11):1021-7. Abstract]   

MacPherson H et al.  Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: A protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial.  BMC Gastroenterology. 2010: 10:63. [Full Text - Open Access]

Reynolds JA, Bland JM, MacPherson H. Acupuncture for irritable bowel syndrome: an exploratory randomised controlled trial. Acupuncture in Medicine. 2008; 26(1):8-16. [Abstract]