Volume 34, Issue 12 pp. 2077-2085
Clinical Trials and Therapeutics

Electroacupuncture plus on-demand gastrocaine for refractory functional dyspepsia: Pragmatic randomized trial

Vincent CH Chung

Corresponding Author

Vincent CH Chung

Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

Correspondence

Dr Vincent Chi Ho Chung, Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Prince of Wales Hospital, Rm 413, 4/F, Shatin, Hong Kong.

Email: [email protected]

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Charlene HL Wong

Charlene HL Wong

Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

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Irene XY Wu

Irene XY Wu

Xiang-Ya School of Public Health, Central South University, Chang-Sha, Hu-Nan, China

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Jessica YL Ching

Jessica YL Ching

Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

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William KW Cheung

William KW Cheung

Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

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Benjamin HK Yip

Benjamin HK Yip

Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

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Kam Leung Chan

Kam Leung Chan

School of Chinese Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

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Pui Kuan Cheong

Pui Kuan Cheong

Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

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Justin CY Wu

Justin CY Wu

Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Institute of Integrative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong

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First published: 22 May 2019
Citations: 12
Declaration of conflict of interest: We declare no competing interests.
Author contribution: Vincent CH Chung, Justin CY Wu, Irene XY Wu, and Benjamin HK Yip contributed substantially to conception and design of the article. Vincent CH Chung, William KW Cheung, Charlene HL Wong, Jessica YL Ching, and Cheong Pui Kuan acquired the data. Vincent CH Chung, Charlene HL Wong, Irene XY Wu, Justin CY Wu, William KW Cheung and Benjamin HK Yip analyzed and interpreted the data. All of the authors revised the article critically for important intellectual content, gave final approval of the version to be published, and agreed to act as guarantors of the work.
Financial support: The trial is funded by the Health and Medical Research Fund, Food and Health Bureau, Hong Kong SAR Government (Project. No.: 12130211).

Abstract

Background and Aim

Treatment options for functional dyspepsia (FD) refractory to pharmacological treatments are limited but the effectiveness of electroacupuncture (EA) is uncertain. We assessed the effectiveness of EA combined with on-demand gastrocaine.

Methods

We conducted a single-center, assessor-blind, randomized parallel-group 2-arm trial on Helicobacter pylori negative FD patients of the postprandial distress syndrome subtype refractory to proton pump inhibitor, prokinetics, or H2 antagonists. Enrolled participants were block randomized in a 1:1 ratio, with concealed random sequence. The treatment and control groups both received on-demand gastrocaine for 12 weeks, but only those in treatment group were offered 20 sessions of EA over 10 weeks. The primary endpoint was the between-group difference in proportion of patients achieving adequate relief of symptoms at week 12.

Results

Of 132 participants randomly assigned to EA plus on-demand gastrocaine (n = 66) or on-demand gastrocaine alone (n = 66), 125 (94.7%) completed all follow-up at 12 weeks. The EA group had a compliance rate 97.7%. They had a significantly higher likelihood in achieving adequate symptom relief at 12 weeks, with a clinically relevant number needed to treat (NNT) value of 2.36 (95% CI: 1.74, 3.64). Among secondary outcomes, statistically and clinically significant improvements were observed among global symptom (NNT = 3.85 [95% CI: 2.63, 7.69]); postprandial fullness and early satiation (NNT = 5.00 [95% CI: 2.86, 25.00]); as well as epigastric pain, epigastric burning, and postprandial nausea (NNT = 4.17 [95% CI: 2.56, 11.11]). Adverse events were minimal and nonsignificant.

Conclusion

For refractory FD, EA provides significant, clinically relevant symptom relief when added to on-demand gastrocaine (ChiCTR-IPC-15007109).

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