Treatable Traits in Asthma: The Importance of Extrapulmonary Traits-GERD, CRSwNP, Atopic Dermatitis, and Depression/Anxiety.

Treatable traits is a personalized medicine approach to the management of airway disease. Assessing traits within the 3 domains of pulmonary, extrapulmonary, and behavioral/lifestyle/risk factor traits, and applying targeted treatments to effectively manage these traits, enables a holistic and personalized approach to care. Asthma is a heterogeneous and complex airway disease that is frequently complicated by several extrapulmonary traits that impact asthma outcomes and predict future outcomes. We propose that the identification of extrapulmonary and behavioral risk factor traits and the implementation of targeted therapy will lead to improved management of people with asthma. Furthermore, many extrapulmonary traits present as "connected comorbidities"; that is, they coexist with asthma, have an impact on asthma, and effective treatment improves both asthma and the comorbidity or the comorbidities may share a similar mechanism. In this review, we explore this concept and look at atopic dermatitis, chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, gastroesophageal reflux disease, anxiety, and depression as treatable traits of asthma and how these can be managed using this approach.

[Whole-course management strategies for gastroesophageal reflux disease: an evidence mapping study based on clinical practice guidelines].

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common digestive diseases with high incidence, complicated clinical symptoms, difficulties in standard treatment, and heavy medical burden. At present, some GERD-relevant clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been issued by different countries and academic organizations, but some recommendations were inconsistent, which has caused some problems for the current clinical whole-course management of GERD. To summarize the relevant evidence among the CPGs on GERD and formulate the whole- course management strategies, we included GERD-relevant CPGs published or updated after 2010 by searching websites of guidelines, relevant professional societies, and electronic databases. We extracted the recommendations and summarized the evidence from the aspects of symptoms, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment, which was presented in the form of evidence mapping. We included 24 CPGs, including three in Chinese and 21 in English. The clinical practice management strategies of GERD were formulated based on the evidence from the aspects of clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods, medical treatment, anti-reflux surgery and endoscopic treatment, psychological treatment, and traditional Chinese medicine treatment.

Whole-course management strategies for gastroesophageal reflux disease: an evidence mapping study based on clinical practice guidelines / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common digestive diseases with high incidence, complicated clinical symptoms, difficulties in standard treatment, and heavy medical burden. At present, some GERD-relevant clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been issued by different countries and academic organizations, but some recommendations were inconsistent, which has caused some problems for the current clinical whole-course management of GERD. To summarize the relevant evidence among the CPGs on GERD and formulate the whole- course management strategies, we included GERD-relevant CPGs published or updated after 2010 by searching websites of guidelines, relevant professional societies, and electronic databases. We extracted the recommendations and summarized the evidence from the aspects of symptoms, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment, which was presented in the form of evidence mapping. We included 24 CPGs, including three in Chinese and 21 in English. The clinical practice management strategies of GERD were formulated based on the evidence from the aspects of clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods, medical treatment, anti-reflux surgery and endoscopic treatment, psychological treatment, and traditional Chinese medicine treatment.

[Analysis on the gastrointestinal motility disorder of gastroesophageal reflux disease and the mechanism of acupuncture-moxibustion from the perspective of autonomic nervous system].

From the perspective of autonomic nervous system, this paper analyzes the mechanism, current western medicine treatment methods and acupuncture-moxibustion treatment mechanism of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). It is believed that the main cause of GERD is that the gastric acid goes to the wrong place due to gastrointestinal motility disorder, which belongs to "acid dislocation". At present, western medical treatment cannot effectively target the pathogenesis of the disease, and its effect is limited. Acupuncture-moxibustion could regulate the neuroendocrine immune network to regulate the function of autonomic nerve, restore the power of digestive tract to treat GERD, which is worthy of further research.

Osteopathic treatment in addition to standard care in patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) - A pragmatic randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Long-term Proton Pump Inhibitor use is associated with low response rates and the risk of adverse events. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of Osteopathic Treatment in patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled trial with a series of osteopathic interventions and an untreated control group. Patients in the osteopathic group (OG) received 4 osteopathic treatments within a time of eight weeks. The control group (CG) did not receive any osteopathic treatment. Primary outcome parameters were gastrointestinal symptoms, assessed by means of the Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ). Secondary outcome parameters were Quality of life with regards to GERD symptoms, assessed by means of the Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia (QUOLRAD) questionnaire, medication use and osteopathic dysfunctions. RESULTS: Seventy patients were randomized. RDQ mean scores decreased statistically significantly in the OG but did not change in the CG; however, these data cannot be interpreted due to a large number of incorrectly completed questionnaires. The between group difference of the changes for the QOLRAD score was statistically significant 0.69 [95%CI = 0.35 to 1.0]. At week 20, changes in the QOLRAD of the OG were sustainable. Medication use decreased substantially in the OG whilst it remained the same in the CG. CONCLUSION: A series of osteopathic treatments might potentially be beneficial for patients suffering from GERD. Future studies should include longer follow-up times and establish the clinical significance of results by introducing a global rating of change measurement.

[Chinese national guideline on diagnosis and management of cough(2021)].

Advances have been made in the diagnosis, management and pathogenesis of chronic cough in recent years. To better present the current progress achieved both in China and abroad, the Asthma Group of Chinese Thoracic Society organized experts from various disciplines, including respiratory medicine, gastroenterology, reflux surgery, otorhinolaryngology, pediatrics and traditional Chinese medicine, to update the Chinese national guideline on diagnosis and management of cough(2015). In this new version of guideline, previous evidence quality and recommendation strength were re-evaluated and updated, meanwhile some new recommendations were added, and certain previous recommendations were deleted. In general, the basic structure of the latest version remained the same as the previous version, which includes definitions, epidemiology and pathogenesis of chronic cough, investigations, evaluations of chronic cough, diagnosis and management of acute cough, subacute cough and chronic cough, and empirical and symptomatic treatment of chronic cough, etc.

Integrative Effects and Vagal Mechanisms of Transcutaneous Electrical Acustimulation on Gastroesophageal Motility in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

INTRODUCTION: Impaired esophageal and gastric motilities are known to contribute to symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, there is a lack of GERD therapy, targeting both gastric and esophageal functions. This study was designed to investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical acustimulation (TEA) on symptoms of GERD and gastroesophageal functions and possible mechanisms in patients with GERD. METHODS: Thirty patients with GERD with ineffective esophageal motility were equally divided and randomized into a 4-week sham-TEA or 4-week TEA treatment. The GERD questionnaire (GerdQ), GERD health-related quality-of-life questionnaire, high-resolution esophageal manometry, a nutrient drink test, the electrogastrogram, and ECG were performed to assess the severity of reflux symptoms, low esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure, distal contractile integral (DCI), gastric accommodation, gastric slow waves (GSW), and autonomic functions, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with sham-TEA, the 4-week TEA treatment significantly decreased the GerdQ score (P = 0.011) and GERD health-related quality of life (P = 0.028) and improved nutrient drink-induced fullness (P < 0.001) and belching (P < 0.001) in patients with GERD. Although only acute TEA significantly enhanced LES pressure (P < 0.05), both acute and chronic TEA remarkedly increased DCI (P < 0.05) and reduced the incidence of ineffective esophageal contractions during wet swallows (P = 0.02). In addition, chronic TEA significantly increased gastric accommodation and the percentage of postprandial normal GSW compared with sham-TEA and baseline. Concurrently, TEA-enhanced vagal activity (P = 0.02) and the vagal activity positively correlated with LES pressure (r = 0.528; P = 0.003) and DCI (r = 0.522; P = 0.003). DISCUSSION: The TEA treatment performed in this study improves reflux-related symptoms, increases DCI, reduces the incidence of ineffective esophageal contractions during wet swallows, and improves gastric accommodation and slow waves. The improvement in GERD symptoms might be attributed to the integrative effects of TEA on these gastroesophageal functions mediated via the vagal mechanism.

[Phytotherapeutische Ansätze zur Behandlung des laryngopharyngealen Reflux in der HNO-Praxis]. / Phytotherapeutic Approaches in the Treatment of Laryngopharyngeal Reflux in the ENT Practice.

Der gastroösophageale Reflux, auch GERD genannt (gastroesophageal reflux disease) ist mit einer Prävalenz von 20-30% der erwachsenen Bevölkerung ein weit verbreitetes Problem. Davon abzugrenzen ist der häufig in der HNO-Praxis anzutref-fende laryngopharyngeale Reflux (LPR), bei dem es sich um eine durch den Magensäurereflux bedingte Entzündung der oberen Atemwege handelt. Die Unterschiede im klinischen Bild charakterisieren die widersprüchliche Beziehung der beiden klinischen Entitäten und erschweren die Diagnosestellung. Darüber hinaus muss ein besonderes Augenmerk auf Beschwerden des Magen- und Darmtrakts gelegt und deren Behandlung nicht vernachlässigt werden. Neben diätetischen Ratschlägen zählen einige pflanzliche Arzneimittel zu den Therapieoptionen. Alginate, die ein Aufstossen verhindern, bewähren sich in der Praxis. Kombinationsarzneimittel aus der europäischen und tibetischen Tradition spielen eine wesentliche Rolle in der Behandlung, nicht nur des LPR sondern auch bei Verdauungsproblemen des oberen und unteren Verdauungstrakts, wie Reizmagen und Reizdarm.The gastroesophageal reflux, also called GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), is a widespread problem with 20­30% of the adult population concerned. The laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR), which is an inflammation of the upper respiratory system due to reflux of gastric acids, is a frequently encountered problem of the gastrointestinal practitioner and should be separated from GERD. The differences in the clinical image characterize the contradictory relationship of both clinical entities and complicate the diagnosis. In addition, the focus should also be turned on eventual disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and, if necessary, they should be treated, too. Besides dietetic advice some herbal medicines belong to the therapeutic options. Alginates, which prevent reflux, have proved a great value in the practice. Multicomponent mixtures originating from the European and Tibetan herbal medicine traditions play a major role in the treatment, not only for LPR, but also for the upper and lower digestive pathologies such as functional dyspepsia and irritable colon.

Number of reflux episodes on pH-impedance monitoring associates with improved symptom outcome and treatment satisfaction in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients with regurgitation.

OBJECTIVE: Number of reflux episodes, an adjunctive metric on pH-impedance monitoring, is incompletely studied. We aimed to determine if number of reflux episodes associates with therapeutic outcome in regurgitation predominant gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD). DESIGN: We performed post hoc analysis of postintervention pH-impedance data from adult patients with moderate/severe regurgitation despite QD proton pump inhibitor (PPI), randomised to either two times a day PPI or magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) in 2:1 allocation. After 6 and 12 months, symptom response was defined by improvement in Foregut Symptom Questionnaire (FSQ) regurgitation score to none or minimal, ≥50% reduction in GERD health-related quality of life (HRQL) score and satisfaction with therapy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine predictors of symptom improvement. RESULTS: Of 152 randomised patients, 123 (age 46.9±1.2 year, 43% female) had complete data. Symptom and satisfaction scores significantly improved after MSA compared with two times a day PPI. Both acid exposure time (13.4%±0.7% to 1.3±0.2%, p<0.001) and reflux episodes (86±4 to 48±4, p<0.001) declined with therapy. Reduction to <40 reflux episodes was significantly more frequent in those with symptom response by FSQ regurgitation score, GERD HRQL score and satisfaction with therapy (p≤0.03 for each); <35 episodes performed better on receiver operating characteristic analysis. On multivariate analysis, improvement in regurgitation score remained independently predictive of satisfaction with therapy (p<0.001 for each). In patients crossing over to MSA, >80 episodes pretreatment predicted improvement. CONCLUSIONS: Reduction of reflux episodes on pH-impedance to physiological levels associates with improved outcomes, while pathological levels predict improvement with MSA in regurgitation predominant GERD. TRAIL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02505945.

Untangling Nonerosive Reflux Disease From Functional Heartburn.

Heartburn is a common symptom in clinical practice, but as many as 70% of patients have normal findings from upper endoscopy. Most of these patients have nonerosive reflux disease (NERD) or functional esophageal disorders. NERD is the most common phenotype of gastroesophageal reflux disease, and functional heartburn is the most common cause for refractory heartburn. In patients with NERD, symptoms arise from gastroesophageal reflux and esophageal hypersensitivity, whereas in patients with functional heartburn, symptoms result from esophageal hypersensitivity. A diagnosis of NERD requires endoscopy and reflux testing, whereas a diagnosis of functional heartburn also requires esophageal manometry. NERD is treated most commonly with medical, endoscopic, and surgical antireflux approaches, whereas functional heartburn as well as NERD can be treated with neuromodulators, psychological intervention, and complementary medicine options.

Effects of Diaphragmatic Breathing on the Pathophysiology and Treatment of Upright Gastroesophageal Reflux: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Uncontrolled results suggest that diaphragmatic breathing (DB) is effective in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) but the mechanism of action and rigor of proof is lacking. This study aimed to determine the effects of DB on reflux, lower esophageal sphincter (LES), and gastric pressures in patients with upright GERD and controls. METHODS: Adult patients with pH proven upright GERD were studied. During a high-resolution impedance manometry, study patients received a standardized pH neutral refluxogenic meal followed by LES challenge maneuvers (Valsalva and abdominal hollowing) while randomized to DB or sham. After that, patients underwent 48 hours of pH-impedance monitoring, with 50% randomization to postprandial DB during the second day. RESULTS: On examining 23 patients and 10 controls, postprandial gastric pressure was found to be significantly higher in patients compared with that in controls (12 vs 7 mm Hg, P = 0.018). Valsalva maneuver produced reflux in 65.2% of patients compared with 44.4% of controls (P = 0.035). LES increased during the inspiratory portion of DB (42.2 vs 23.1 mm Hg, P < 0.001) in patients and healthy persons. Postprandial DB reduced the number of postprandial reflux events in patients (0.36 vs 2.60, P < 0.001) and healthy subjects (0.00 vs 1.75, P < 0.001) compared with observation. During 48-hour ambulatory study, DB reduced the reflux episodes on day 2 compared with observation on day 1 in both the patient and control groups (P = 0.049). In patients, comparing DB with sham, total acid exposure on day 2 was not different (10.2 ± 7.9 vs 9.4 ± 6.2, P = 0.804). In patients randomized to DB, esophageal acid exposure in a 2-hour window after the standardized meal on day 1 vs day 2 reduced from 11.8% ±6.4 to 5.2% ± 5.1, P = 0.015. DISCUSSION: In patients with upright GERD, DB reduces the number of postprandial reflux events pressure by increasing the difference between LES and gastric pressure. These data further encourage studying DB as therapy for GERD.

Wide Area Transepithelial Sampling with Computer-Assisted Analysis (WATS3D) Is Cost-Effective in Barrett's Esophagus Screening.

BACKGROUND: Wide area transepithelial sampling with three-dimensional computer-assisted analysis (WATS3D) is an adjunct to the standard random 4-quadrant forceps biopsies (FB, "Seattle protocol") that significantly increases the detection of Barrett's esophagus (BE) and associated neoplasia in patients undergoing screening or surveillance. AIMS: To examine the cost-effectiveness of adding WATS3D to the Seattle protocol in screening patients for BE. METHODS: A decision analytic model was used to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of two alternative BE screening strategies in chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease patients: FB with and without WATS3D. The reference case was a 60-year-old white male with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Effectiveness was measured by the number needed to screen to avert one cancer and one cancer-related death, and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Cost was measured in 2019 US$, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was measured in $/QALY using thresholds for cost-effectiveness of $100,000/QALY and $150,000/QALY. Cost was measured in 2019 US$. Cost and QALYs were discounted at 3% per year. RESULTS: Between 320 and 337 people would need to be screened with WATS3D in addition to FB to avert one additional cancer, and 328-367 people to avert one cancer-related death. Screening with WATS3D costs an additional $1219 and produced an additional 0.017 QALYs, for an ICER of $71,395/QALY. All one-way sensitivity analyses resulted in ICERs under $84,000/QALY. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for BE in 60-year-old white male GERD patients is more cost-effective when WATS3D is used adjunctively to the Seattle protocol than with the Seattle protocol alone.

Treatment of Dyspepsia, Heartburn, and Related Symptoms with Gastricumeel Compared to Proton Pump Inhibitors: A Prospective Reference-Controlled Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Dyspepsia and heartburn are extremely common conditions, thus a search for safe and effective treatment alternatives is justified. OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate the noninferiority of Gastricumeel (Ga6) in terms of effectiveness and safety to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in the treatment of patients with dyspepsia and/or heartburn. METHODS: Prospective, comparative, observational cohort study. Patients with dyspepsia or heartburn were treated either with Ga6 or with PPIs as monotherapy during approximately 6 weeks. The intensity of eight symptoms was assessed as well as overall condition, treatment compliance and tolerability, and any adverse drug reactions. Adjustment for covariates was done via the calculation of propensity scores in logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 640 patients (447 Ga6, 193 PPIs) from 48 German general practices participated. More than half the patients had suspected acute gastritis and around 40% of patients had heartburn. Adjusted between-treatment difference scores of changes in the intensity of the eight assessed symptoms were within the bounds for noninferiority of Ga6 compared to PPIs. Effectiveness ratings were comparable; compliance and tolerability were rated better in the Ga6 group. CONCLUSION: It is worth considering Ga6 as a safe and effective treatment option in the management of dyspepsia and heartburn.

Effect of electrical stimulation therapy of the lower esophageal sphincter in GERD patients with ineffective esophageal motility.

BACKGROUND: Electrical stimulation therapy (EST) of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is a novel technique in antireflux surgery. Due to the minimal alteration at the LES during surgery, LES-EST is meant to be ideal for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and ineffective esophageal motility (IEM). The aim of this prospective trial (NCT03476265) is to evaluate health-related quality of life and esophageal acid exposure after LES-EST in patients with GERD and IEM. METHODS: This is a prospective non-randomized open-label study. Patients with GERD and IEM undergoing LES-EST were included. Follow-up (FUP) at 12 months after surgery included health-related quality of life (HRQL) assessment with standardized questionnaires (GERD-HRQL) and esophageal functional testing. RESULTS: According to the study protocol, 17 patients fulfilled eligibility criteria. HRQL score for heartburn and regurgitation improved from 21 (interquartile range (IQR) 15-27) to 7.5 (1.25-19), p = 0.001 and from 17 (11-23.5) to 4 (0-12), p = 0.003, respectively. There was neither significant improvement of esophageal acid exposure nor reduction of number of reflux events in pH impedance measurement. Distal contractile integral improved from 64 (11.5-301) to 115 (IQR 10-363) mmHg s cm, p = 0.249. None of the patients showed any sign of dysphagia after LES-EST. One patient needed re-do surgery and re-implantation of the LES-EST due to breaking of the lead after one year. CONCLUSION: Although patient satisfaction improved significantly after surgery, this study fails to demonstrate normalization or significant improvement of acid exposure in the distal esophagus after LES-EST.

Design and Experimental Research of Implantable Lower Esophageal Sphincter Stimulator Based on Android Bluetooth.

The aim of this study is to design an implantable Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) stimulator connected and controlled by an Android Bluetooth for the treatment of the gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Then the animal experiments are carried out to evaluate the function of the system. The LES stimulator is composed of an external controller, an Android application (APP) via a smart phone and an implantable electronic device (IED). The external controller is designed to receive the settings parameters information sent by the Android APP via a Bluetooth module, and then is programmed to generate specific electrical stimulation pulses to the LES. The Android APP controls the start and stop of stimulation and the settings of stimulation parameters. The in vivo IED consists of a bipolar stimulating lead, a bipolar head connector and a receiving module. The bipolar stimulating lead is constructed of biocompatible materials: platinum-iridium electrodes which are coated with parylene and an outer silicone rubber sheathing. The size of the receiving module has been significantly decreased to 20×20×2 mm3, which is packaged by polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and proposed to deliver stimulation pulses from the external controller to the implantable lead. The one-month implantation experiment on rabbits has been performed to evaluate the LES stimulator. The results indicate that the proposed LES stimulator meets the requirements of the functions, effectiveness and safety.

[Professor BAI Xing-hua's concept and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease].

In view of the five major misunderstandings in the clinical understanding of gastroesophageal reflux disease in traditional Chinese medicine, that is, wrong main symptoms, wrong position of the disease, wrong character of the disease, treating acid with acid, and attaching importance to drugs and neglecting acupuncture-moxibustion in treatment, Professor BAI Xing-hua has proposed the corresponding solving strategies, which includes grasping the main disease, carefully examining the disease position, distinguishing the character of disease, and no acid suppression for acid regurgitation. In addition, Professor BAI highly values the external treatment of traditional Chinese medicine. In particular, the acupuncture therapy of "Tongdu Jiangni (promote the circulation of the governor vessel and reduce the reversed qi)" based on many years of clinical experience provides new ideas and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in traditional Chinese medicine.

[Preliminary results of Chinese magnetic sphincter augmentation in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease].

Objective: To examine the preliminary clinical efficacy of Chinese magnetic sphincter augmentation (MSA) in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Methods: According to the enrollment criteria for the MSA developed by ShengJieKang Co. and Shanghai Chest Hospital (SS-MSA) clinical trial, a total of 19 GERD patients were treated with SS-MSA from August 2018 to January 2020 at Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The majority of registered cases were male patients with age of (32.2±7.3) years (range: 22 to 50 years), height of (170.7±6.2) cm (range: 160 to 179 cm) and weight of (65.2±10.3) kg (range: 47.5 to 90.0 kg). SS-MSA was implanted via laparoscopy. The major evaluation indexs of postoperative efficacy were the total time of acid exposure within 24 hours and the total number of reflux. Secondary efficacy indicators included: (1) evaluation of the average daily dose of proton pump inhibitor medications; (2) the score of GERD health related quality of life questionnaire (GERD-Q) before and after MSA implantation. Paired design t-test was used to evaluate the efficacy of the SS-MSA. Results: A total of 19 patients underwent SS-MSA surgery successfully. The history of the GERD were 19 (54) months (M(Q(R))). The operation time was 63 (22) minutes and the in-hospital stay was 3 (2) days. No obvious surgical complications occurred. Postoperative adverse events included 14 cases with mild to moderate dysphagia exited after surgery, gradually eased within 1 to 3 months, 1 case with the removal of the device after 1 month of severe swallowing difficulties, 1 case of diarrhea. No corrosion, perforation, displacement occurred. The GERD-Q score (11.0(4.5) vs. 6(1.0), t=4.274, P=0.013), 24-hour acid exposure time (6.2(4.8)% vs. 0.1(0.9)%, t=5.814, P=0.004), and Demeester score (23.72(16.20) vs. 0.96(3.10), t=6.678, P=0.003) were significantly decreased 1 year after surgery(n=5). Proton pump inhibitor reuse rates were 6/18, 5/15, 3/10, and 1/5 in 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after the operation, respectively. Conclusions: SS-MSA implantation is feasible and safe with short hospital stay and rare perioperative complications. The preliminary results is good after 1 year follow-up. It could be expected to be an ideal substitutive for future GERD treatment.

A comparison of the efficacy and safety of complementary and alternative therapies for gastroesophageal reflux disease: A protocol for network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases in the world and is showing increasing prevalence in some countries. The disease has a chronic course that leads to a significant decline in the quality of life of patients and is associated with a high economic burden worldwide. And complementary and alternative medicine is used to treat the disease. Over the past few decades, a number of randomized controlled trials and systematic evaluations have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of different types of complementary and alternative medicine methods, so there is an urgent need to summarize and further evaluate these studies. METHODS: We will search the following sources without restrictions for date, language, or publication status: PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) Cochrane Library, and EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Bio-medicine Database, VIP Chinese Periodical Database, Wan Fang Database. We will apply a combination of Medical Subject Heading and free-text terms incorporating database-specific controlled vocabularies and text words to implement search strategies. We will also search the ongoing trials registered in the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Besides, the previous relevant reviews conducted on complementary and alternative therapies for GERD and reference lists of included studies will also be searched. RESULTS: This study will provide a reliable basis for the treatment of GERD with complementary and alternative therapies. CONCLUSIONS: The findings will be an available reference to evaluate the efficacy and safety of complementary and alternative therapies on GERD and may provide decision-making reference on which method to choose for clinicians. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: PROSPERO CRD42020169332.

[Clinical observation on gastroesophageal reflux asthma treated with tongdu jiangni needling technique].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect on gastroesophageal reflux asthma between the tongdu jiangni needling technique of acupuncture (acupuncture for promoting the circulation of the governor vessel and reducing the reversed qi) and omeprazole enteric capsules (OME). METHODS: A total of 60 patients with gastroesophageal reflux asthma were randomized into an acupuncture group and a western medication group, 30 cases in each one. The basic treatment for anti-bronchial asthma was provided in both of the groups. Additionally, OME was prescribed for oral administration in the western medication group, twice a day, 20 mg each time, for 8 weeks. In the acupuncture group, the tongdu jiangni needling technique of acupuncture was added. The needles were inserted at the sites inferior to the spinous processes of T3 to T12. Acupuncture was given once in the morning on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday respectively, totally for 8 weeks. Separately, before and after treatment, the score of reflux disease diagnostic questionnaire (RDQ), the score of asthma control test (ACT) and the tenderness threshold at the sites inferior to the spinous processes of T3 to T12 were observed and the clinical effect was evaluated in the two groups. RESULTS: ①The remarkably effective and curative rate was 46.7% (14/30) in the acupuncture group, higher than 3.3% (1/30) in the western medication group (P<0.01). The asthma control rate was 66.7% (20/30) in the acupuncture group, higher than 13.3% (4/30) in the western medication group (P<0.01). ②RDQ score after treatment was lower than that before treatment in either group (P<0.05). The decrease range of RDQ score in the acupuncture group was larger than that of the western medication group (P<0.05). After treatment, ACT score was increased as compared with that before treatment in either group (P<0.05) and the increase range of ACT score in the acupuncture group was larger than that of the western medication group (P<0.05). ③The tenderness thresholds at the sites inferior to the spinous processes of T3 to T8 and T10 to T12 were all increased after treatment as compared with those before treatment in the acupuncture group separately (P<0.05). In the western medication group, the thresholds were only increased at the sites inferior to the spinous processes of T6, T7 and T9 after treatment as compared with those before treatment separately (P<0.05). After treatment, the tenderness thresholds at T6 to T8 in the acupuncture group were all higher than the western medication group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The tongdu jiangni needling technique of acupuncture effectively relieves the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux asthma and improves the quality of life in the patients and its effect is better than omeprazole enteric capsules.