Objective: To evaluate the clinical effect of acupuncture for the improvements in various dyspeptic symptoms of postprandial distress syndrome.
Methods: The secondary analysis on the data of a multi-center randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. 278 patients with postprandial distress syndrome were randomized into an acupuncture group (138 cases) and a sham-acupuncture group (140 cases). In the acupuncture group, acupuncture was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Danzhong (CV 17), Zhongwan (CV 12), Qihai (CV 6), Neiguan (PC 6), Zusanli (ST 36), etc. In the sham-acupuncture group, 6 sites, neither located on meridians nor belonged to meridian acupoints, were selected and punctured shallowly. The duration of treatment was 20 min each time, 3 times a week, for 4 weeks totally in the two groups. The follow-up visit lasted for 12 weeks. The scores of dyspeptic symptoms were compared between the two groups before treatment, during treatment (in week 1, 2, 3 and 4) and during follow-up (in week 8, 12 and 16) separately.
Results: Besides the scores of early satiety and vomiting in the sham-acupuncture group in week 1, the scores of the other dyspepsia symptoms during treatment and follow-up were all reduced in the two groups as compared with those before treatment (P<0.05). In week 2 and 3, the score of early satiety in the acupuncture group was lower than that in the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05). In week 3, the scores of postprandial fullness, upper abdominal bloating and belching in the acupuncture group were lower than those in the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05). In week 4 and during follow-up, the scores of postprandial fullness, early satiety, upper abdominal bloating and belching in the acupuncture group were all lower than those in the sham-acupuncture group (P<0.05).
Conclusion: Acupuncture remarkably relieves postprandial fullness, early satiety, upper abdominal bloating and belching in patients with postprandial distress syndrome.
目的：评价针刺改善餐后不适综合征不同消化不良症状的临床疗效。方法：对一项多中心、随机对照试验数据进行二次分析。将278例餐后不适综合征患者随机分为针刺组（138例）和假针组（140例）。针刺组采用针刺百会、膻中、中脘、气海、内关、足三里等治疗。假针组选取6处非经非穴点进行浅刺。两组患者均每次治疗20 min，每周治疗3次，共治疗4周，随访12周。比较两组治疗前、治疗期间（第1、2、3、4周）及随访时（第8、12、16周）消化不良症状评分。结果：除第1周假针组的早饱感及呕吐症状外，治疗及随访期间两组消化不良症状评分均较治疗前降低（P<0.05）。治疗第2、3周，针刺组早饱感评分低于假针组（P<0.05）；治疗第3周，针刺组餐后饱胀、上腹胀和嗳气症状评分低于假针组（P<0.05）；治疗第4周及随访期间，针刺组餐后饱胀、早饱感、上腹胀和嗳气症状评分均低于假针组（P<0.05）。结论：针刺可显著改善餐后不适综合征患者餐后饱胀、早饱感、上腹胀和嗳气症状。.
Keywords: acupuncture; empirical ten points; functional dyspepsia; postprandial distress syndrome; randomized controlled trial (RCT); stroke.