Table 2.

Resource use

	Acupuncture (n = 110)	Usual care (n = 97)	Mean difference (95%CI)
	mean (SD)	mean (SD)
GP visits
Baseline visits	1.67 (2.46)	1.65 (1.87)	0.02 (−0.58 to 0.63)
IBS related visits at baseline	0.22 (0.53)	0.36 (1.00)	−0.14 (−0.36 to 0.07)
Visits during the trial	6.69 (8.69)	5.89 (5.74)	0.81 (−1.24 to 2.85)
IBS related visits during the trial	0.87 (1.83)	0.84 (1.62)	0.04 (−0.44 to 0.51)
Practice nurse
Baseline visits	0.42 (0.99)	0.46 (0.74)	−0.05 (−0.29 to 0.20)
IBS related visits at baseline	0.05 (0.39)	0.02 (0.14)	0.03 ( −0.06 to 0.11)
Visits during the trial	2.48 (5.21)	1.99 (2.93)	0.49 (−0.69 to 1.67)
IBS related visits during the trial	0.12 (0.63)	0.05 (0.27)	0.07 (−0.07 to 0.20)
Elective hospitalisations
Baseline	0.01 (0.10)	0.00 (0.00)	0.01 (−0.01 to 0.03)
IBS related at baseline	0.00 (0.00)	0.00 (0.00)	NA
During the trial	0.05 (0.21)	0.05 (0.22)	0.01 (−0.07 to 0.05)
IBS related during the trial	0.01 (0.10)	0.00 (0.00)	0.01 (−0.01 to 0.028)
Emergency hospitalisations
Baseline	0.04 (0.19)	0.09 (0.29)	−0.06 (−0.12 to 0.01)
IBS related at baseline	0.01 (0.10)	0.00 (0.00)	0.01 (−0.01 to 0.03)
During the trial	0.25 (0.72)	0.32 (0.80)	−0.07 (−0.28 to 0.13)
IBS related during the trial	0.03 (0.16)	0.00 (0.00)	0.03 (−0.01 to 0.06)
Outpatient clinics
Baseline	0.40 (1.00)	0.29 (0.66)	0.11 (−0.12 to 0.35)
IBS related at baseline	0.09 (0.35)	0.04 (0.20)	0.05 (−0.03 to 0.13)
During the trial	1.49 (2.30)	1.45 (2.45)	0.04 (−0.62 to 0.69)
IBS related during the trial	0.31 (0.98)	0.24 (0.83)	0.08 (−0.18 to 0.32)
Other NHS contacts
Baseline	0.07 (0.58)	0.06 (0.37)	0.01 (−0.12 to 0.13)
IBS related at baseline	0 (0)	0.01 (0.09)	−0.01 ( −0.03 to 0.01)
During the trial	0.35 (1.10)	0.48 (2.13)	−0.13 (−0.58 to 0.31)
IBS related during the trial	0.02 (0.18)	0 (0)	0.02 (−0.02 to 0.05)
Acupuncture sessions	9.18 (2.18)	NA	NA