Non-Invasive Auricular Acupoint Stimulation Improves Slow-Transit Constipation: Evidence From a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND Slow-transit constipation lacks optimal therapies due to the adverse effects and limited efficacy of current treatments. Auricular acupoint stimulation offers a potential adjunctive approach through neuromodulation, yet its clinical efficacy and mechanistic role in slow-transit constipation remain unestablished. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty patients diagnosed with slow-transit constipation, ranging in age from 40 to 75 years, were randomly allocated into 2 distinct cohorts: a study group and a control group. The study group, comprising 30 individuals, received a combination therapy of non-invasive auricular acupoint stimulation and prucalopride, while the control group, also consisting of 30 patients, was administered prucalopride as a monotherapy. To assess the efficacy of the interventions, various parameters were monitored, including serum levels of neuropeptide Y, nitric oxide, fecal water content, and gastrointestinal transit. The comparative therapeutic outcomes were determined by calculating symptom scores. RESULTS The study group exhibited a significantly higher overall efficacy rate (93.3%) compared to the control group (84.6%, P<0.05). Post-treatment assessments revealed a reduction in neuropeptide Y and nitric oxide levels in both cohorts, while colonic transit capacity and fecal water content showed an increase. Notably, the study cohort demonstrated a more pronounced decrease in neuropeptide Y and nitric oxide concentrations and a more substantial increase in colonic transit capacity and fecal water content compared to the control cohort (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Non-invasive auricular acupoint stimulation significantly enhances symptom relief in patients with slow-transit constipation, suggesting its potential as a complementary therapy for constipation management.