The Effect of Electroacupuncture Treatment with Different Intensities for Functional Diarrhea: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Table 2

Outcomes.

	LI	HI	LC
The proportion of normal defecation
Baseline	0.11 (0.03, 0.21)	0.09 (0.04, 0.16)	0.09 (0.00, 0.20)
Week 4 change from baseline	0.19 (0.17, 0.40)	0.10 (0.06, 0.29)	0.15 (0.02, 0.37)
Week 8 change from baseline	0.28 (0.23, 0.56)	0.18 (0.11, 0.36)	0.16 (−0.03, 0.36)
Weekly SBMs
Baseline	11.48 (10.54, 16.66)	13.60 (9.03, 14.51)	12.00 (8.83, 16.43)
Week 2 change from baseline	−1.95 (−3.34, −0.56)	−1.11 (−2.41, 0.20)	−2.72 (−4.21, −1.22)
Week 4 change from baseline	−2.02 (−3.64, −0.40)	−1.88 (−3.39, −0.36)	−3.56 (−5.30,−1.83)
Week 8 change from baseline	−2.77 (−4.00, −1.54)	−2.46 (−3.62, −1.3)	−2.51 (−3.83, −1.18)
Stool consistency
Baseline	5.47 (5.22, 5.71)	5.51 (5.30, 5.73)	5.58 (4.65, 5.95)
Week 2 change from baseline	−0.89 (−1.24, −0.54)	−0.37 (−0.71, −0.04)	−1.16 (−1.55, −0.78)
Week 4 change from baseline	−0.86 (−1.24, −0.48)	−0.37 (−0.76, −0.01)	−1.21 (−1.62, −0.79)
Week 8 change from baseline	−0.91 (−1.22, −0.60)	−0.59 (−0.89, −0.30)	−0.74 (−1.08, −0.40)

Values are expressed as mean (95%CI). and vs. LC group. and vs. baseline. values were for the comparison among the three groups and were calculated with the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), except for the comparison of the baseline values, which used an analysis of variance (ANOVA). (1) The proportion of normal defecation defined as the proportion of a daily stool frequency ≤3 times and stool consistency to be type 4. (2) SBMs denote spontaneous bowel movements. (3) Stool consistency was assessed with the use of the 7-point Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS): 1 indicates separate, hard lumps, like nuts (hard to pass); 2 sausage-shaped but lumpy; 3 like a sausage but with cracks on the 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; and 7 watery, not solid pieces (entirely liquid).