Efficacy and Safety of Thread Embedding Acupuncture in Treating Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

NCT ID: NCT05353933

Last Updated: 2022-07-28

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

66 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2022-05-04

Study Completion Date

2022-07-20

Brief Summary

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Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a very common disease nowadays. Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the first-line treatment for this disease. However, the effectiveness of treatment with PPIs is still limited. Acupuncture has been shown to be effective in treating this condition. Another treatment method is thread embedding acupuncture therapy, which is a method of burying threads into acupoints to create a more lasting stimulation than traditional acupuncture.

This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination of thread embedding acupuncture and standard dose pantoprazole compared with standard dose pantoprazole as monotherapy in adults.

Detailed Description

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Patients with GERD diagnosed based on the GerdQ score who meet the inclusion criteria and do not meet the exclusion criteria will be included in the study. After randomization, patients will be divided into 2 groups: control group and intervention group. In both groups, patients will be treated for GERD according to current guidelines including PPIs, additional antacids as needed, and lifestyle changes. The intervention group will include additional thread embedding acupuncture therapy (TEA) twice on day 0 and day 14th. Intervention duration is 4 weeks.

The objectives of the study are to evaluate the improvement of GERD symptoms by using the evaluation score including Gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire (GerdQ) and Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD (FSSG); the evaluation score of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-Health Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) will be used to evaluate the improvement of quality of life; and evaluate the safety of TEA in the treatment of GERD.

All scales will be evaluated before and after the intervention. For the GerdQ score, patients will be assessed weekly, every 2 weeks for FSSG and GERD-HRQL during the 4-week intervention. For TEA's side effects, it will be assessed regularly during the 4-week intervention.

Conditions

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Gastroesophageal Reflux

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

DOUBLE

Investigators Outcome Assessors
The investigator who examine GERD-related symptoms and outcome assessor will be blinded.

However, the investigator who examine the side effects of thread embedding acupuncture will not be blinded.

Study Groups

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TEA + PPI

Thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) every 2 weeks in 4 weeks (twice). Combined with oral pantoprazole 40 mg capsules (Pantostad 40 CAP) once daily for 4 weeks.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Thread embedding acupuncture

Intervention Type OTHER

Thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) that use chromic catgut thread with 3/0 size with 1 centimeter long for each acupoint (TRUSTIGUT® (C), CPT Sutures Co., Ltd, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam). Every 2 weeks in 4 weeks (twice), 13 acupoints will be embedded including Xiawan (CV-10), Zhongwan (CV-12), Shangwan (CV-13) and Zusanli (ST-36), Neiguan (PC-6), Geshu (BL-17), Ganshu (BL-18), Pishu (BL-20) in both sides of the body.

Pantoprazole 40mg

Intervention Type DRUG

Oral pantoprazole 40 mg capsules (Pantostad 40 CAP, Stellapharm J.V. Co., Ltd, Binh Duong, Vietnam) thirty minutes to one hour before the first meal once daily for 4 weeks.

PPI

Oral pantoprazole 40 mg capsules (Pantostad 40 CAP) once daily for 4 weeks.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Pantoprazole 40mg

Intervention Type DRUG

Oral pantoprazole 40 mg capsules (Pantostad 40 CAP, Stellapharm J.V. Co., Ltd, Binh Duong, Vietnam) thirty minutes to one hour before the first meal once daily for 4 weeks.

Interventions

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Thread embedding acupuncture

Thread embedding acupuncture (TEA) that use chromic catgut thread with 3/0 size with 1 centimeter long for each acupoint (TRUSTIGUT® (C), CPT Sutures Co., Ltd, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam). Every 2 weeks in 4 weeks (twice), 13 acupoints will be embedded including Xiawan (CV-10), Zhongwan (CV-12), Shangwan (CV-13) and Zusanli (ST-36), Neiguan (PC-6), Geshu (BL-17), Ganshu (BL-18), Pishu (BL-20) in both sides of the body.

Intervention Type OTHER

Pantoprazole 40mg

Oral pantoprazole 40 mg capsules (Pantostad 40 CAP, Stellapharm J.V. Co., Ltd, Binh Duong, Vietnam) thirty minutes to one hour before the first meal once daily for 4 weeks.

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Male or female 18-60 years of age.
* Patients with total scores ≥ 8 on the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GerdQ) and scores ≥ 2 for each symptom including heartburn and/or regurgitation.
* Ability to read, understand and provide informed consent.
* Currently not receiving any intervention to treat GERD.

Exclusion Criteria

* Have any current symptoms related to a structural disease that has been confirmed by endoscopy (e.g., gastrointestinal cancer, eosinophilic esophagitis, candida esophagitis, peptic ulcers, Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, pyloric stenosis, etc.).
* With known inflammatory bowel disease or other serious disease (hepatic, renal, respiratory, or cardiac disease) or rare genetic diseases (such as fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption, saccharose-isomaltose deficiency), severe concomitant diseases, or a history of alcohol or drug abuse.
* Have severe dysphagia, hematemesis, weight loss, or hematochezia.
* A history of oesophageal and/or gastrointestinal surgery.
* Current use of drugs affecting treatment and evaluation of GERD including systemic glucocorticoids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, calcium channel blockers, anticholinergics, bisphosphonates, ketoconazole, itraconazole, voriconazole, clarithromycin, telithromycin, tetracycline, HIV protease inhibitors, rifampin, potassium supplements, iron, quinidine, zidovudine, anticholinergic agents, alpha-adrenergic antagonists, β2-adrenergic agonists, benzodiazepines, barbiturates, dopamine, estrogens, progesterone, narcotic analgesics, nitrates, prostaglandins, theophylline.
* Are being treated with proton-pump inhibitors within the last 14 days, H2-receptor antagonists, or prokinetics within the last 10 days, intake of alginates or antacids within the last 3 days or using any traditional medicine to treat GERD within the last 2 weeks.
* A history of hypersensitivity reaction with PPIs (including their components), catgut or acupuncture or thread embedding acupuncture treatment.
* Are pregnant or breastfeeding.
* Are taking part in any other clinical trials.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

60 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Bui Pham Minh Man

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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University of Medical Center HCMC - Branch no.3

Ho Chi Minh City, , Vietnam

Site Status

Countries

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Vietnam

References

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Trinh DT, Tran AH, Bui MP, Vuong NL. Thread-embedding acupuncture may improve symptom resolution in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease: A randomized controlled trial. Integr Med Res. 2023 Sep;12(3):100971. doi: 10.1016/j.imr.2023.100971. Epub 2023 Jul 7.

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Other Identifiers

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606/HDDD-DHYD

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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