Supplementary Material for: Investigating the Effects of Moxibustion on Gastrointestinal Function and Gut Microbiota in Chronic renal failure: A CARE Non-Placebo Randomized Controlled Study in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Introduction: Moxibustion is regarded as a complementary and alternative treatment for chronic renal failure (CRF) patients.
Methods: This study was a randomized controlled trial, we collected case data from 52 CRF patients who received moxibustion combined with PD treatment (moxibustion group) and 50 CRF patients who only received PD treatment (control group) in our hospital from March 2020 to February 2022. After a 12-week treatment cycle, the changes in blood routine test indicators, blood electrolytes, routine biochemical indicators, 24h urinary protein quantification, and gastrointestinal function indicators before and after treatment were compared between the two groups. The primary outcome was blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, indicative of kidney function.
Results: 52 patients remained in the Moxibustion group and 50 in the control group. After 12 weeks of treatment, the moxibustion group demonstrated significantly lower serum potassium and phosphorus levels than before treatment. Regarding biochemical blood analysis, the moxibustion group had significantly lower blood urea nitrogen levels, 24 h urinary protein quantification, and parathyroid hormone after treatment compared with the control group. However, although the serum creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were numerically lower in the moxibustion group, the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. The moxibustion group had improved gastrointestinal function, in terms of increased motilin and cholecystokinin levels, compared to the control group.
Conclusion: Moxibustion combined with PD can improve renal and gastrointestinal functions and regulate the structure of the gut microbiota to in CRF patients.

引言：艾灸被认为是慢性肾衰竭（chronic renal failure, CRF）患者的一种补充替代疗法。
方法：本研究为随机对照试验，收集2020年3月至2022年2月期间本院52例接受艾灸联合PD治疗的CRF患者（艾灸组）及50例仅接受PD治疗的CRF患者（对照组）的病例数据。经过12周治疗周期后，比较两组患者治疗前后血常规指标、血电解质、常规生化指标、24小时尿蛋白定量及胃肠功能指标的变化。主要结局指标为反映肾功能的血尿素氮（blood urea nitrogen, BUN）水平。
结果：艾灸组52例患者及对照组50例患者均完成研究。经过12周治疗后，艾灸组血清钾、磷水平较治疗前显著降低。生化血液分析结果显示，与对照组相比，艾灸组治疗后的血尿素氮水平、24小时尿蛋白定量及甲状旁腺激素（parathyroid hormone）水平显著降低。然而，尽管艾灸组血清肌酐、碱性磷酸酶、丙氨酸氨基转移酶及天冬氨酸氨基转移酶水平在数值上低于对照组，但两组间差异无统计学意义。与对照组相比，艾灸组胃肠功能得到改善，表现为胃动素（motilin）及胆囊收缩素（cholecystokinin）水平升高。
结论：艾灸联合PD治疗可改善CRF患者的肾功能及胃肠功能，并调节其肠道菌群结构。