Abstract
BackgroundAcute abdomen is a common disease in the emergency department (ED) and usually results in huge medical expenditure. To relieve abdominal pain effectively and reduce bed occupancy rate in emergency rooms, electroacupuncture is a practical method in the treatment of abdominal pain.Methods/designFive hundred patients will be randomly and evenly divided into experimental and control groups. Both groups should have their basic information taken and their bilateral acupuncture points ( Hegu (LI 4), Neiguan (PC6), Zusanli (ST 36), Shangjuxu (ST37), Xiajuxu (ST39), Taichong (LR3), and Taibai (SP3)) will be intervened by electroacupuncture or vaccaria Seeds, in this clinical study. Electroacupuncture has been introduced to this experiment as an auxiliary technique. The experimental group will receive real electroacupuncture, but the control group will receive a placebo electroacupuncture in which transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation will not be turned on. After the intervention, we will evaluate the difference in abdominal pain, the length of stay at the emergent observation ward, and the proportion of revisits with abdominal pain.DiscussionIn Taiwan, medical expenditure is increasing annually because of the higher bed occupancy caused by acute abdominal pain in the hospital. We expect that the combined treatment of electroacupuncture and modern medical treatment will not only reduce bed occupancy and the length of ED stay but also effectively decrease the rate of readmission and revisits by 72 h. By means of electroacupuncture, the spiraling cost of health care can eventually be reduced.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03199495. Registered on 27 June 2017.
Highlights
Acute abdomen is a common disease in the emergency department (ED) and usually results in huge medical expenditure
In Taiwan, medical expenditure is increasing annually because of the higher bed occupancy caused by acute abdominal pain in the hospital
We expect that the combined treatment of electroacupuncture and modern medical treatment will reduce bed occupancy and the length of ED stay and effectively decrease the rate of readmission and revisits by 72 h
Summary
In Taiwan, medical expenses caused by return visits have been increasing gradually year by year [15, 21,22,23]. There are seven acupuncture points: Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), Shangjuxu (ST37), Xiajuxu (ST39), Neiguan (PC6), Taibai (SP3), and Taichong (LR3). These points are chosen according to the literature and our clinical research [18, 19]. The conjunction of Hegu (LI 4) and Taichong (LR3) could adjust metabolism and relieve tension caused by acute abdominal pain. We do not place the seeds on ears instead of the acupuncture points on the body Because they are small, the seeds cannot give efficient simulations to the patient. We anticipate that electroacupuncture can alleviate acute abdominal pain efficiently, shorten the period of stay in the ED, reduce return visits, and achieve a medical cost reduction.
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