Table 2 Characteristics of randomised controlled trials of moxibustion vs. sham or other treatments for irritable bowel syndrome

Moxa/AT vs. sham moxa/AT

Anastasi (2009) USA [18]

29 (66%)

Rome III and negative GI investigations

Unspecified

Changes in CGIS

Moxa and AT (4 weeks): Indirect and individualised, twice weekly

Sham moxa and sham AT (4 weeks): Superficial needling at non-acupoints/moxa above and away from acupoints

U-U-Y-Y-U-Y

Moxa/AT vs. pharmacological medications

Chen (2011) China [19]

59 (53%)

Rome III, negative GI investigations and TCM criteria

D 100%

≥ 30% improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa and AT (3 weeks): Indirect and partially individualised, o.d., 5 sessions/course, 3 courses in total

Medication (3 weeks):

Y-Y-N-N-Y-Y

- Smecta 1 bag/time b.d.

- Loperamide 4 mg/time t.i.d. and pinaverium bromide 50 mg/time t.i.d. if diarrhea did not stop

Zeng (2010) China [35]

65 (58%)

Rome III

D 100%

≥ 50% improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa and AT (1 month): Indirect and partially individualized, o.d., 10 sessions/course in dog days

Medication (1 month): Trimebutine maleate 100 mg/time, t.i.d.

Y-Y-N-N-Y-Y

Xue (2009) China [34]

200 (51%)

Rome II and TCM criteria

Unspecified

Any improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa and AT (23–49 days): Fixed, o.d. for 10 sessions (1 course), 2–4 courses in total, with 3 days of no TX interval

Medication (23–49 days): Sulfasalazine 10 mg/kg, o.d. for 10 days (1 course), 2–4 courses in total

U-U-N-N-Y-Y

Wang (2008) China [31]

110 (unspecified)

Rome II

D 100%

≥ 30% improvement in global IBS symptoms

Warming needle (23 days): Fixed, o.d. for 10 sessions (1 course), 2 courses in total, with 3 days of no TX interval

Medication (23 days): Smecta, 1 bag/time t.i.d.

U-U-N-N-Y-Y

Moxa plus other treatments vs. other treatments

Hu (2012) China [21]

64 (22%)

Rome III, negative GI investigations and TCM criteria

D 100%

≥ 30% improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa and AT (8 weeks):

AT (8 weeks): Partially individualized, o.d., 5 sessions/week, 20 sessions/course, 2 courses in total

Y-U-N-N-Y-Y

- Moxa: indirect and partially individualized, o.d., 5

sessions/week, 20 sessions/course, 2 courses in total

- AT: partially individualized, o.d., 5 sessions/week, 20 sessions/course, 2 courses in total

Shang (2012) China [29]

48 (58%)

Rome II and negative GI investigations

D 100%

Any improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa/AT and medication (30 days): Indirect and fixed, o.d., 10 sessions/course, 3 courses in total

Medication and dietary advice (30 days):

U-U-N-N-Y-Y

- GI antispasmodic drugs, antidiarrheal drugs, anti-anxiety drugs, and intestinal flora regulating drugs

Jiang (2010) China [23]

60 (57%)

Rome II and negative GI investigations

D 100%

Any improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa and medication (4 weeks):

Medication (4 weeks): Trimebutine 0.2 g/time, t.i.d.

U-U-N-N-U-N

- Moxa: ginger-partitioned and fixed, o.d. for 7 sessions (1 course), 4 courses in total, with 1 day of no TX interval

- Medication: Trimebutine 0.2 g/time, t.i.d.

Wang (2009) China [30]

60 (55%)

Rome II and TCM criteria (liver-qi stagnation with spleen deficiency type)

D 100%

Any improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa and herbal medicine (1 month):

Herbal medicine (1 month): Partially individualised

U-U-N-N-Y-Y

- Moxa: indirect and fixed, o.d.

- Herbal medicine: partially individualised

Xiong (2008) China [33]

120 (60%)

Rome II, negative GI investigations and TCM criteria (liver-qi stagnation with spleen deficiency type)

D 100%

≥ 30% improvement in global IBS symptoms

AT/warming needle and herbal medicine (4 weeks):

Herbal medicine (4 weeks): Fixed, b.d.

U-U-N-N-Y-Y

- AT/warming needle: fixed, no information on sessions

- Herbal medicine: fixed, b.d.

Huang (2007) China [22]

61 (unspecified)

Rome III, negative GI investigations and TCM criteria

Unspecified

Any improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa and colon hydrotherapy (4 weeks):

Colon hydrotherapy (4 weeks): Twice weekly for constipation, once weekly for diarrhea

U-U-N-N-Y-Y

- Indirect and partially individualized, o.d.

- Colon hydrotherapy: twice weekly for constipation, once weekly for diarrhea

Liu (1997) [24] China

150 (41%)

Only stated that “all participants had IBS and no organic GI disease”

Unspecified

Any improvement in global IBS symptoms

AT/moxa and psychotherapy (10–75 days): Individualised AT followed by indirect and fixed moxa, once every other day for 10 sessions (1 course), 1–6 courses, with 3–5 days of no TX interval

Psychotherapy (7–42 days): 1–2 sessions/week (1 course), 1–6 courses, each session performed ahead of AT

Y-U-N-N-N-Y

Moxa/AT vs. probiotics

An (2010) China [17]

81 (62%)

Rome II

Unspecified

≥ 30% improvement in global IBS symptoms

Moxa and AT (4 weeks): Indirect and fixed, o.d. for 12 sessions (1 course), 2 courses in total, with 3 days of no TX interval

Bifid triple viable capsules (4 weeks): Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophillus, and Enterococcus faecalis 420 mg (2 capsules)/time, t.i.d.

Y-U-N-N-Y-Y