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World J Gastroenterol. Oct 28, 2026; 32(40): 120563
Published online Oct 28, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.120563
Published online Oct 28, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.120563
Clinical efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions for constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome
Chen Li, Ji-Wu Yang, Si-Yuan Zhang, Wei Cheng, Hong-Bo Shi, Hai-Bin Shi, Chuan Li, Department of General Surgery II, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, Dali 671000, Yunnan Province, China
Author contributions: Li C contributed to conceptualization, writing-original draft preparation; Li C, Yang JW contributed to methodology, formal analysis and investigation, literature screening and data extraction, writing review and editing; Yang JW, Zhang SY contributed to funding acquisition; Li C, Yang JW, and Zhang SY contributed to resources; Li C (first author), Yang JW, Zhang SY, Cheng W, Shi HB (fifth author), Shi HB (sixth author), and Li C (seventh author) contributed to supervision.
AI contribution statement: During the preparation of this manuscript, we used artificial intelligence tools (specifically ChatGPT) solely for language polishing, structural optimization, and manuscript organization assistance. The AI did not participate in study design, data analysis, result interpretation, discussion, or conclusions. All AI-generated content was reviewed and revised by the authors.
Supported by Yunnan Provincial Department of Education Scientific Research Fund Project, No. 2023Y0996.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
PRISMA 2009 Checklist statement: The authors have read the PRISMA 2009 Checklist, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the PRISMA 2009 Checklist.
Corresponding author: Ji-Wu Yang, MD, Professor, Department of General Surgery II, The First Affiliated Hospital of Dali University, No. 32 Carlsberg Avenue, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Dali 671000, Yunnan Province, China. yangjiwu64@126.com
Received: March 3, 2026
Revised: May 2, 2026
Accepted: August 26, 2026
Published online: October 28, 2026
Processing time: 192 Days and 8.4 Hours
Revised: May 2, 2026
Accepted: August 26, 2026
Published online: October 28, 2026
Processing time: 192 Days and 8.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: A comprehensive review and network meta-analysis has been conducted to determine the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies for constipation dominant irritable bowel syndrome. The assessment considered 14 different interventions depending on the important outcomes like frequency of bowel movements, consistency of stool, severity of symptoms, quality of life and adverse effects. According to the research, transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation, tenapanor, acupuncture, and probiotics are quite effective. These findings suggest the need for more personalized treatment approaches, and the need for further high-quality trials to confirm.