Effects of Continuous Pressure Stimulus on Bowel Sound in Healthy Women

Abstract

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the effects of continuous pressure stimulus (CPS) of the thoracolumbar region on bowel sound (BS) and autonomic nervous system activity.
Methods: In this study, 12 healthy women (mean age, 22.5 ± 1.3 years, height 1.56 ± 0.05 m, weight 51.8 ± 4.2 kg, BMI 21.4 ± 1.7 kg/m²) were enrolled as the subjects. The survey items included voiding and quality of life questionnaires, and blood pressure (BP) levels were measured and the subjects underwent electrocardiogram. CPS to the thoracolumbar spine was performed at 30 mmHg for 15 min, and pre- and post-CPS comparisons were performed using Fisher's least significant difference for BS, heart rate (HR), and HR variability analysis as two-way repeated measures analysis of variance and multiple comparison methods and a paired t-test for BP.
Results: As for the simple main effects before and after CPS, the intervention group showed significant increases in BS, low frequency (LF), and LF/high frequency ratio 5 min after CPS, and the control group showed significant decreases in HR 5 and 10 min after CPS. However, no interaction was observed between the two groups.
Conclusion: CPS to the lateral skin of the thoracolumbar spine is suggested to induce intestinal peristalsis in the physiological range.