Primary and Secondary Outcomes
watery, Constipation
Abbreviations: CSBM, complete spontaneous bowel movement; NA, not applicable; PAC-QOL, Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life; PAC-SYM, Patient Assessment of Constipation–Symptoms; SBM, spontaneous bowel movement.Overall responders were defined as patients who had at least 3 SBMs per week and an increase of at least 1 SBM from baseline in the same week for at least 6 of the 8 weeks of the treatment period.Sustained responders were defined as patients who had at least 3 SBMs per week and an increase of at least 1 SBM from baseline in the same week for at least 6 of the 8 weeks of the treatment period and at least 3 of the final 4 treatment weeks (post hoc).Scores range from 1 to 7: 1 = separate, hard lumps, like nuts (hard to pass); 2 = sausage-shaped but lumpy; 3 = like a sausage or snake but with cracks on its surface; 4 = like a sausage or snake, smooth and soft; 5 = soft blobs with clear-cut edges (passed easily); 6 = fluffy pieces with ragged edges or a mushy stool; 7 = watery, no solid pieces (entirely liquid).Scores range from 0 to 4; higher scores indicate more severe straining during defecation.PAC-SYM scores are based on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 to 4; lower scores indicate better quality of life. Minimally clinically important difference: 1.0.PAC-QOL scores are based on a 5-point Likert scale from 0 to 4; lower scores indicate better quality of life. Minimally clinically important difference: 1.0.Manual maneuvers to facilitate defecations (1 in the electroacupuncture group) and Chinese herbs (4 in each group).Lactulose (2 in the electroacupuncture group), manual maneuvers to facilitate defecations (1 in the electroacupuncture group), and Chinese herbs (2 in each group).Patients in the EA group, as compared with the SA group, had a significant increase in the number of mean weekly SBMs from baseline over weeks 1 to 8 (between-group difference, 0.6 SBMs [95% CI, 0.3-0.8 SBMs]; 