[Clinical effects of acupoint catgut embedding with quadruple therapy on Hp (+) chronic atro-phic gastritis of spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effects of acupoint catgut embedding combined with quadruple therapy on Helicobacter pylori (Hp)-positive (+) chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) of spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome and explore the underlying mechanism. METHODS: Hp (+) CAG patients with spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome were randomly divi-ded into a control group (n=68) and a treatment group (n=71). In addition to the routine quadruple therapy for two weeks, the patients in the control group received oral Weifuchun Tablets (4 tablets once, tid.), and those in the treatment group underwent acupoint catgut embedding at Pishu (BL20), Weishu (BL21), Zhongwan (CV12), and Zusanli (ST36), once a week. The two groups were treated for three months in total. The scores of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptoms and signs, clinical efficacies, quality of life scale scores (PRO scores and HAMA scores), endoscopic and histopathologic scores, Hp eradication rates detected by 13C breath test, and the recurrence rates after six months of the two group were compared. The changes in serum gastrin 17 (G-17), pepsinogen Ⅰ (PGⅠ) and pepsinogen Ⅱ (PGⅡ) were detected by ELISA, and PGⅠ/PGⅡ was calculated. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the eradication rate of Hp between the two groups after treatment (P>0.05), but the recurrence rate after six months in the treatment group was lower than that of the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the scores of TCM symptoms and signs, endoscopic and histopathologic scores, PRO scores, and HAMA scores were decreased in both groups (P<0.01), while serum levels of G-17, PG Ⅰ, PG Ⅱ, and PG Ⅰ/PG Ⅱ were increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The treatment group was superior to the control group in alleviating stomach discomfort by pressing or warmth, decreasing the total score of TCM symptoms and signs, relieving anorexia, mottled gastric mucosa, mucosal ulcer, chronic inflammation, and activity, improving anxiety, and regulating G-17 (P<0.05, P<0.01). The effective rates of the treatment group and the control group were 40.85% (29/71) and 23.53% (16/68)，the treatment group was higher than the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupoint catgut embedding combined with quadruple therapy in the treatment of Hp (+) CAG of spleen and stomach deficiency syndrome is significant in clinical efficacy and low in recurrence rate, which is presumedly achieved by repairing gastric mucosa and sensitizing the secretion of G-17 and pepsinogen.