Effect of clinician-patient communication on compliance with flupentixol-melitracen in functional dyspepsia patients

Treatment outcomes in patients with globus: A randomized control trial of psychoeducation, neuromodulators, and proton pump inhibitors

BACKGROUND

Globus is a persistent or intermittent nonpainful sensation of a lump or foreign body, which markedly affect patient's quality of life. Treatment options for globus are limited and unsatisfying. This study aims to compare the effects of cognitive-behavioral-theory-based psychoeducation (CBT), neuromodulators (NMD), and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) on treatment outcomes in patients with globus.

METHODS

Eligible patients were randomly received CBT, 0.5 mg flupenthixol and 10 mg melitracen; NMD, or omeprazole 20 mg; PPI, for 4 weeks. The primary endpoint was the reduction in symptom scores; Glasgow Edinburgh Throat Scale (GETS). The secondary endpoints included treatment efficacy on Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), and quality of life (QoL) based on a 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36). Treatment compliance and adverse effects were recorded.

KEY RESULTS

Forty patients were completed study. Baseline characteristics between the groups were comparable. By the end of treatment, both CBT and NMD provided greater reduction in GETS than PPI (CBT vs PPI; 6.46 ± 8.56 vs 0.21 ± 5.42; p = 0.031, NMD vs PPI; 6.92 ± 9.85 vs 0.21 ± 5.42; p = 0.036). The improvement of RSI, HADS, and SF-36 among the groups was similar. Neuromodulators caused more adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Both CBT and NMD provided equally effective treatment and better than PPI in patients with globus determined by the reduction in GETS. The improvement in RSI, HADS, and QoL of the three groups was not different. Given less of adverse effect than NMD, CBT should be considered as a substantial treatment.

Factors associated with mood disorders and the efficacy of the targeted treatment of functional dyspepsia: A randomized clinical trial

Background

Patients with functional dyspepsia (FD) are often accompanied by mood disorders (MDs). This study aimed to identify factors associated with MDs in patients with FD and evaluate the efficacy of targeted treatment plans.

Methods

Relevant scales were used to assess MDs. Patients with FD having MDs and acid reflux were treated with flupentixol and melitracen (FM) and acid-suppressive therapy (AST) (histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs) (group A) or proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (group B)), and those without acid reflux (group C) did not receive AST. Patients with FD without MDs were randomly administered H2RAs (group D) or PPIs (group E). The primary endpoints were factors associated with MDs and improvement in gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and MDs in patients with FD.

Results

A total of 362 patients with FD were enrolled in this study. Patients with FD having high GI score and low education were found prone to MDs. At week 2, the remission rate of overall GI symptoms and depression was significantly higher in group B than that in groups A and C [GI: 72.72% (32/44) vs. 47.73% (21/44) and 72.72% (32/44) vs. 38.94% (44/113), all P < 0.05; depression: 72.22% (26/36) vs. 41.67% (15/36) and 72.22% (26/36) vs. 41.57% (37/89), all P < 0.05]. Furthermore, the remission rate of overall GI symptoms was significantly higher in group E than that in group D [60.29% (41/68) vs. 42.65% (29/68), P < 0.05]. At week 8, similar efficacies and adverse reactions were observed in these groups.

Conclusion

The risk factors for MDs were high GI scores and low literacy rates. Thus, targeted treatment (FM+PPIs for patients with MDs; PPIs for patients without MDs) can improve the efficacy of patients with FD.

Clinical trial registration

www.chictr.org.cn, identifier ChiCTR2100053126.

Improving Clinician-Patient Communication Alleviates Stigma in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia Receiving Antidepressant Treatment

Background/Aims

Antidepressants are effective in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). However, stigma associated with FD and antidepressants may affect treatment adherence. This study aims to explore possible communication strategies to alleviate stigma and improve adherence in patients with FD.

Methods

In this randomized, single-center, and single-blind trial, 160 patients with FD initiating antidepressant treatment were recruited. Different communication strategies were performed when prescribing antidepressants. Participants in Group 1 were told that brain is the “headquarters” of gut, and that antidepressants could act as neuromodulators to relieve symptoms of FD through regulating the functions of gut and brain. Participants in Group 2 were told that antidepressants were empirically effective for FD. Stigma scores, medication-related stigma, treatment compliance, and efficacy were analyzed.

Results

After 8-week antidepressant treatment, the proportion of patients with FD with decreased stigma scores in Group 1 was significantly higher than in Group 2 (internalized stigma 64.10% vs 12.00%; perceived stigma 55.13% vs 13.33%; P < 0.01). Medication-related stigma was lower in Group 1 than in Group 2 (P < 0.05 for 3 of 4 questions). Concurrently, patients in Group 1 had better treatment compliance (0.71 ± 0.25 vs 0.60 ± 0.25, P < 0.01) and efficacy. In Group 1, participants with decreased post-treatment stigma scores showed better treatment compliance and efficacy than those with non-decreased scores. Decrease in stigma scores positively correlated with treatment compliance.

Conclusion

Improving knowledge of patients with FD of the disease and antidepressants via proper communication may be an effective way to alleviate stigma and promote adherence.

Short-course antidepressant therapy reduces discontinuation syndrome while maintaining treatment efficacy in patients with refractory functional dyspepsia: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Long-course (LC) antidepressants for the treatment of disorders of gut-brain interaction, such as refractory functional dyspepsia (rFD), pose patients at risk of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADS). Short-course (SC) therapy of rapid-acting antidepressant may reduce discontinuation syndromes while maintaining efficacy for dyspeptic symptoms. However, the evidence-based research is lacking. This study aims to determine whether SC therapy with antidepressants could decrease the risk of ADS with comparable treatment efficacy to LC therapy in rFD.

METHODS

This randomized clinical trial with rFD patients was conducted at a tertiary hospital in China. Participants (N = 240) were randomly allocated to receive flupentixol-melitracen (FM) plus omeprazole therapy for 2 (SC group) or 4 (LC group) weeks, respectively. Scores for Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire (LDQ), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 for Depression (PHQ-9) were assessed at baseline and every 2 weeks, ending at 4 weeks after treatment. ADS was assessed after drug cessation. Medication possession ratio (MPR) for FM was calculated.

RESULTS

The severity and incidence of ADS of patients in SC group were significantly lower than those in LC group (0.60 ± 0.62 vs. 1.71 ± 1.58 and 3.64 vs. 39.45%; both P < 0.0001). The MPR values for FM were significantly higher in patients of SC group than in LC group (P < 0.0001). Scores for LDQ, GAD-7 and PHQ-9 decreased in patients of both groups, and the symptom improvement in SC group was comparable to that in LC group after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

Compared to 4-week FM therapy, the 2-week FM therapy reduces the risk of ADS with non-inferior treatment efficacy in patients with rFD.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical trials.gov, identifier NCT05099913.

The impact of stigma on medication adherence in patients with functional dyspepsia

BACKGROUND

Psychological factors contribute to the pathogenesis of functional dyspepsia (FD). Antidepressant agents are beneficial in treatment of refractory FD. However, their efficacy is greatly hindered by the poor treatment adherence. Stigma is present in patients with chronic diseases or mental disorders and could affect adherence. The present study was aimed to evaluate stigma prevalence in FD patients and to explore the impact of stigma on treatment adherence to antidepressants.

METHODS

Functional dyspepsia patients unsatisfied with the regular first-line treatment and received newly initiated antidepressant medicine were recruited and subjected to antidepressant treatment for 8 weeks. Stigma scales and symptom scores of dyspepsia, depression, and anxiety were analyzed before and after treatment. Associations between stigma and medication adherence were evaluated.

KEY RESULTS

One hundred and ten of the enrolled 138 participants reported minimal disease-related internalized stigma, and 28 reported mild stigma before antidepressant therapy. Male gender, lower education, and higher scores of dyspepsia, depression, and anxiety were predictors of stigma before treatment. The mean stigma scores increased after 8-week antidepressant treatment. A proportion (36.4%-89.9%) of patients showed stigma attached to antidepressant therapy in the 4-question survey. Post-treatment stigma scores negatively correlated with treatment adherence and efficacy. Patients with decreased post-treatment stigma scores displayed better medication adherence and symptom improvement compared to those with elevated or unaltered post-treatment stigma scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with refractory FD report stigma attached to the disease and antidepressants. It is an obstacle to treatment adherence and efficacy of antidepressant medication in FD therapy.

A Qualitative Exploration to Understand Hospitalists' Attitude Toward the Patient Experience Scoring System

Patient’s perception of their inpatient experience is measured by the Center for Medical Services’ (CMS) administered Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (HCAHPS) survey. There is scant existing literature on physicians’ perceptions toward the HCAHPS scoring system. Understanding hospitalist knowledge and attitude toward the HCAHPS survey can help guide efforts to impact HCAHPS survey scores by improving the patient’s perception of their hospital experience. The goal of this study is to explore hospitalists’ knowledge and perspective of the physician communication domain of the HCAHPS survey at an academic medical center. Seven hospitalists at an academic medical center were interviewed for this report using a semistructured interview. Thematic analysis approach was used to analyze data. Open, line-by-line coding was performed on all 7 transcripts. Categories were derived in an inductive fashion. Categories were refined using the techniques of constant comparison and axial coding. We generated themes reflecting hospitalists’ knowledge of the HCAHPS scoring system, their perception of the HCAHPS scoring system and the impact of the HCAHPS scoring system on their practice. While hospitalists acknowledged physician–patient communication is a challenging area to study, they are unlikely to embrace the feedback provided by HCAHPS surveys. There is a need to deploy tactics that provide timely and actionable feedback to providers on their bedside communication skills.

Efficacy and safety of pinaverium bromide combined with flupentixol-melitracen for diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

There are many trials on the combination of Pinaverium bromide (PB) and Flupentixol-melitracen (FM) in the treatment of diarrhea-type irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), but the sample sizes are small, and the research conclusions are inconsistent. Thus, a meta-analysis was performed, aiming to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this combination therapy in patients with IBS-D.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in 7 databases covering the period up to July 2018 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of PB combined with FM versus PB alone for IBS-D. The primary outcome was the total symptom relief rate. The other outcomes were the adverse events rate, HAMA/SAS score, and HAMD/SDS score. The methodological quality of the RCTs was assessed independently using 6 criteria according to the Cochrane Collaboration. All data were analyzed using Review Manager 5.3.

RESULTS

Fifteen RCTs with 1487 participants were identified from 2005 to 2018. Compared with PB alone, 15 RCTs showed significant effects of PB plus FM in terms of improved symptom relief in patients with IBS-D (n = 1487, OR = 5.17, 95%CI, 3.79-7.07, P < .00001). Eleven RCTs reported adverse effects in both the PB plus FM and PB groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the adverse events rate between the 2 groups (n = 1207, OR = 2.91, 95%CI, 0.91-9.28, P = 0.07). Two RCTs and 3 RCTs reported HAMA and HAMD scores respectively, and 3 RCTs reported both SAS and SDS scores. After treatment, the above scores in the PB plus FM group were significantly lower than the PB group (all P < .01). However, the trials were deemed to have a medium risk of bias.

CONCLUSIONS

The efficacy of PB combined with FM is superior to PB alone in the treatment of IBS-D, and it is safe for clinical use. However, the conclusions still need to be verified by conducting more large-scale and high-quality RCTs.

Review article: an analysis of safety profiles of treatments for diarrhoea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is multifactorial in nature, and a wide range of therapies is available to manage symptoms of this common disorder.

AIM

To provide an overview of the safety of interventions that may be used to manage patients with diarrhoea-predominant IBS (IBS-D).

METHODS

Medline and Embase database searches (through 02 May 2018) to identify clinical studies that evaluated treatment safety and/or efficacy in adults with IBS-D.

RESULTS

IBS-D treatments include dietary modification, probiotics, serotonin receptor antagonists, opioid receptor agonists and antagonists, nonsystemic antibiotics, bile acid sequestrants, antidepressants, and complementary and alternative therapies. These treatments vary in administration frequency (eg, daily; short-course therapy) and target various pathophysiologic factors. Safety profiles vary considerably by treatment among IBS-D therapies. The number needed to harm (defined as the number of patients treated to encounter an adverse event) was lowest (worse) for antidepressants (8.5) and highest (best) for probiotics (35), and the number needed to harm (defined as the number of patients who discontinued due to an adverse event) was lowest for tricyclic antidepressants (9) and highest for rifaximin (8971). Notable safety concerns with IBS-D treatments include pancreatitis with eluxadoline, ischaemic colitis and serious complications of constipation with alosetron, and cardiac adverse events with loperamide and tricyclic antidepressants. Treatment decisions need to account for medication risks and adverse events for each patient.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple treatment options are now available for patients with IBS-D. However, the safety profiles of these agents vary widely by number needed to harm value. Providers should consider both safety and efficacy of a specific intervention when determining how best to manage patients' IBS-D symptoms.