Clinical Practice Guidelines for Functional Dyspepsia in Korea

Influence of patient-clinician relationship style on acupuncture outcomes in functional dyspepsia: A multi-site randomized controlled trial in Korea

INTRODUCTION

Research suggests that a warm and empathic "patient-centered" patient-clinician relationship produces better clinical outcomes when compared with a more neutral "disease-centered" relationship. Acupuncturists performed both styles of therapy for patients with functional dyspepsia in Korea.

METHODS

The present randomized controlled trial assigned patients (n = 73) to identical acupuncture treatment with either patient-centered augmented care or disease-centered limited care. The Korean version of the Nepean Dyspepsia Index (NDI-K) was the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures included Consultation And Relational Empathy (CARE) scale.

RESULTS

Both groups showed improvement in NDI-K. Patient-centered augmented acupuncture produced less effective symptom improvement compared to disease-centered limited acupuncture (NDI-K sum score and frequency; P = 0.008 and P = 0.037 respectively). CARE scores were higher for the augmented versus limited group (P = 0.001), supporting the fidelity of the experimentally controlled patient/clinician relationship. There were no significant differences between the groups in any of other secondary outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Patients demonstrated greater improvement following acupuncture conducted with a more neutral, "disease-centered" style of relationship. This result is counter to similar research conducted in Western countries and suggests that cultural factors can significantly shape optimum styles of acupuncture therapy.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Clinicians should consider cultural differences when applying acupuncture therapy.

Transcutaneous Auricular Vagal Nerve Stimulation Is Effective for the Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Study

INTRODUCTION

Vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) can be used to modulate gastrointestinal motility, inflammation, and nociception. However, it remains unclear whether VNS is effective in adult patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). We investigated the effectiveness of transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) in patients with FD.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with FD meeting Rome IV criteria with modified FD Symptom Diary score ≥10 were enrolled. Patients were randomly allocated to 10-Hz taVNS (V10 group), 25-Hz taVNS (V25 group), or sham group, with 30 minutes of treatment twice a day for 4 weeks. The primary outcome was the response rate at week 4, defined as the proportion of patients whose modified FD Symptom Diary score was reduced ≥5 when compared with the baseline. Secondary outcomes included adequate relief rate and adverse events.

RESULTS

A total of 300 patients were randomized to V10 (n = 101), V25 (n = 99), and sham groups (n = 100). After 4 weeks of treatment, V10 and V25 groups had a higher response rate (81.2% vs 75.9% vs 47%, both P < 0.001) and adequate relief rate (85.1% vs 80.8% vs 67%, both P < 0.05) compared with the sham group. There was no significant difference between V10 and V25 in response rate and adequate relief rate (both P > 0.05). The efficacy of taVNS (both 10 and 25 Hz) lasted at week 8 and week 12 during follow-up period. Adverse events were all mild and comparable among the 3 groups (1%-3%).

DISCUSSION

Our study firstly showed that 4-week taVNS (both 10 and 25 Hz) was effective and safe for the treatment of adult FD ( clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT04668534).

Prevalence, types, and risk factors of functional gastrointestinal diseases in Hainan Province, China

To investigate the prevalence, types, and risk factors of functional gastrointestinal diseases (FGIDs) in Hainan Province, China, in order to provide insights for future prevention and treatment strategies. A questionnaire survey was conducted from July 2022 to May 2023, using stratified sampling to sample local residents in five cities (20 townships) in Hainan Province. Out of 2057 local residents surveyed, 659 individuals (32.0%) reported experiencing at least one FGID. The most prevalent FGIDs were functional dyspepsia (FD) (10.7%), functional constipation (FC) (9.3%), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (6.8%), functional bloating (2.2%), belching disorder (2.2%), functional diarrhea (FDr) (1.5%), functional heartburn (1.5%), and fecal incontinence (0.98%). The study revealed significant associations between FGIDs and factors such as age, sleep quality, anxiety, smoking, alcohol consumption, and the consumption of pickled food (P < 0.05). Older age, poor sleep quality, anxiety, and the consumption of pickled food were identified as independent risk factors for the prevalence of FGIDs (P < 0.05). In Hainan Province, the overall prevalence of FGIDs was found to be 32.0%, with higher prevalences of FC and FD. Older age, poor sleep quality, anxiety, and the consumption of pickled food were identified as risk factors for FGIDs.

Global prevalence of functional dyspepsia according to Rome criteria, 1990-2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Although functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common functional gastroduodenal disorder with a high socioeconomic burden, little is known about its global prevalence. Thus, we performed a comprehensive study to estimate long-term trends in the prevalence of FD. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, and Google Scholar from 1990 to 2022 for population-based studies that reported the prevalence of FD in adults (≥ 18 years old) according to Rome I, II, III, or IV criteria. The prevalence of FD was extracted from included studies to obtain pooled prevalence with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and 95% prediction intervals. Subgroup analysis was performed according to certain characteristics, including geographic region. A total of 44 studies met the eligibility criteria, including 256,915 participants from 40 countries across six continents. The overall global pooled prevalence of FD was 8.4% (95% CI 7.4-.9.5). The prevalence was the highest in Rome I (11.9%; 95% CI 5.1-25.4) and lowest in Rome IV (6.8%; 95% CI 5.8-7.9). Developing countries showed a higher prevalence than developed countries (9.1% versus 8.0%), and prevalence was higher in women, irrespective of the definition used (9.0% versus 7.0%). The pooled prevalence gradually decreased from 1990 to 2020 (12.4% [8.2-18.3] in 1990-2002 versus 7.3% [6.1-8.7] in 2013-2020). The prevalence of FD differs by country, economic status, geographical region, and sex, and the global prevalence has been gradually declining. Despite the heterogeneity of sample population, our study estimates the current global burden of FD and provides information to heath care policy decisions.

Clinical Trial: Efficacy of Mosapride Controlled-release and Nortriptyline in Patients With Functional Dyspepsia: A Multicenter, Double-placebo, Double-blinded, Randomized Controlled, Parallel Clinical Study

Background/Aims

Prokinetic agents and neuromodulators are among the treatment options for functional dyspepsia (FD), but their comparative efficacy is unclear. We aimed to compare the efficacy of mosapride controlled-release (CR) and nortriptyline in patients with FD after 4 weeks of treatment.

Methods

Participants with FD were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive mosapride CR (mosapride CR 15 mg and nortriptyline placebo) or nortriptyline (mosapride CR placebo and nortriptyline 10 mg) in double-placebo, double-blinded, randomized controlled, parallel clinical study. The primary endpoint was defined as the proportion of patients with overall dyspepsia improvement after 4 weeks treatment. The secondary endpoints were changes in individual symptom scores, anxiety, depression, and quality of life.

Results

One hundred nine participants were recruited and assessed for eligibility, and 54 in the mosapride CR group and 50 in the nortriptyline group were included in the modified intention-to-treat protocol. The rate of overall dyspepsia improvement was similar between groups (53.7% vs 54.0%, P = 0.976). There was no difference in the efficacy of mosapride CR and nortriptyline in a subgroup analysis by FD subtype (59.3% vs 52.5% in postprandial distress syndrome, P = 0.615; 44.4% vs 40.0% in epigastric pain syndrome, P = > 0.999; 50.0% vs 59.1% in overlap, P = 0.565; respectively). Both treatments significantly improved anxiety, depression, and quality of life from baseline.

Conclusion

Mosapride CR and nortriptyline showed similar efficacy in patients with FD regardless of the subtype. Both treatments could be equally helpful for improving quality of life and psychological well-being while also relieving dyspepsia.

Improvement of dyspeptic symptoms after Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in Japanese patients

Background and Aim

Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy effectively improves the abdominal symptoms and bowel habits of patients. Patients in whom dyspepsia is under control by 6 to 12 months after successful H. pylori eradication are defined as having H. pylori-associated dyspepsia, and patients with dyspepsia that is refractory to successful eradication are defined as having functional dyspepsia. Here, we aimed to investigate the association between H. pylori eradication and improvement of dyspepsia in the short and long term after eradication therapy.

Methods

Dyspeptic symptoms before treatment and at 2 and 12 months after eradication were evaluated using the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) in 282 H. pylori-positive Japanese patients who underwent eradication therapy.

Results

Of the Japanese H. pylori-positive patients, 48.2% (136/282) had upper abdominal symptoms. Eradication improved dyspepsia in 34.5% (47/136) of the patients at 2 months post eradication, which continued to be under control up to 12 months. A significant decrease at 2 and 12 months after eradication, compared with before eradication, was observed in total GSRS (from 25.7 ± 10.4 [before eradication, n = 249] to 23.3 ± 7.2 [after 2 months, n = 249] and 24.8 ± 7.8 [after 12 months, n = 81]; P = 0.014 and 0.321, respectively), gastric pain score (from 4.1 ± 1.9 to 3.7 ± 1.3 and 3.7 ± 1.2; P = 0.025 and 0.047), and constipation score (from 5.9 ± 3.1 to 5.2 ± 2.3 and 5.9 ± 3.0; P < 0.021 and 0.862).

Conclusion

H. pylori-positive dyspepsia patients should be recommended to undergo H. pylori eradication to alleviate dyspepsia-associated symptoms.

Guidelines on optimizing the use of proton pump inhibitors: PPI stewardship

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have been available for over three decades and are among the most commonly prescribed medications. They are effective in treating a variety of gastric acid-related disorders. They are freely available and based on current evidence, use of PPIs for inappropriate indications and duration appears to be common. Over the years, concerns have been raised on the safety of PPIs as they have been associated with several adverse effects. Hence, there is a need for PPI stewardship to promote the use of PPIs for appropriate indication and duration. With this objective, the Indian Society of Gastroenterology has formulated guidelines on the rational use of PPIs. The guidelines were developed using a modified Delphi process. This paper presents these guidelines in detail, including the statements, review of literature, level of evidence and recommendations. This would help the clinicians in optimizing the use of PPIs in their practice and promote PPI stewardship.

A personalized management approach in disorders of the irritable bowel syndrome spectrum

Symptoms of the disorders across the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) spectrum include several different, usually postprandial, abdominal complaints. Up to date, dietary treatments of the IBS have neither been personalized nor diagnosed with sufficient scientific evidence. They have mostly been treated using 'one-size-fits-all' approaches. Such include exclusion diets, a low fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols diet, and gluten-free diets, lactose-free diets, a diet recommended by the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and a wheat-free diet. The exact pathophysiology of IBS disorders across the spectrum is still unclear. However, the symptom profile of IBS spectrum disorders seems similar to that of food intolerance/malabsorption syndromes. Celiac disease, fructose malabsorption, histamine intolerance and lactose intolerance represent food intolerance/malabsorption disorders based on the indigestion of sugars and/or proteins. Helicobacter pylori infection may potentially promote the development of IBS and, when facing a case of IBS-like symptoms, a search for intolerance/malabsorption and H. pylori should be added to find the correct treatment for the respective patient. This review will discuss why the 'one-size-fits-all' dietary approach in the treatment of complaints across the IBS spectrum cannot be successful. Hence, it will provide an overview of the most common overall dietary approaches currently used, and why those should be discouraged. Alternatively, a noninvasive diagnostic workup of the pathophysiologic factors of food intolerance/malabsorption in each patient with symptoms of the IBS spectrum is suggested. Additionally, if H. pylori is found, eradication therapy is mandatory, and if food intolerance/malabsorption is detected, an individual and personalized dietary intervention by a registered dietician is recommended.

Herbal medicine, Banxia-xiexin tang, for functional dyspepsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The demand for complementary and alternative medicine for the management of functional dyspepsia (FD) is increasing due to the insufficient efficacy of conventional treatment options. In Asia, the Chinese herbal medicine formula Banxia-xiexin tang (BXT) has been used to treat FD. Methods: We searched 11 digital medical databases on 1 September 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the efficacy of BXT or combination therapy (BXT plus Western medicines) for FD were selected. The outcome parameters were total clinical efficacy rate (TCE), motilin level, symptom checklist-90-revised (SCL-90-R), and visual analog scale (VAS) for dyspepsia and adverse events. Cochrane risk of bias tool 2.0 (RoB 2) was used for the quality assessment of included studies. Results: The meta-analysis comprised 57 RCTs with 5,525 participants. BXT was more efficacious, with a higher TCE than Western medicine. Combination therapy (BXT plus Western medicine) also resulted in a higher TCE than Western medicine. Combination therapy improved motilin levels and psychological symptoms to a greater extent than Western medicine, evidenced by a higher SCL-90-R score. However, no significant difference in VAS scores was observed between the BXT and placebo groups. BXT and combination therapy were associated with fewer adverse events than Western medicine or placebo. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that BXT and its combination therapy may be an effective and safe alternative treatment for FD. More RCTs with better methodologies are required to strengthen this evidence. Systematic Review Registration: [https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42019123285], identifier [CRD42019123285].

Clinical Practice Guideline for Gastritis in Korea

Gastritis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the gastric mucosa. It is very common and has various classification systems such as the updated Sydney system. As there is a lot of evidence that Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with the development of gastric cancer and that gastric cancer can be prevented by eradication, H. pylori gastritis has been emphasized recently. The incidence rate of gastric cancer in Korea is the highest in the world, and due to the spread of screening endoscopy, atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia are commonly diagnosed in the general population. However, there have been no clinical guidelines developed in Korea for these lesions. Therefore, this clinical guideline has been developed by the Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research for important topics that are frequently encountered in clinical situations related to gastritis. Evidence-based guidelines were developed through systematic review and de novo processes, and eight recommendations were made for eight key questions. This guideline needs to be periodically revised according to the needs of clinical practice or as important evidence about this issue is published in the future.

Critical appraisal of international guidelines for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection in case of dyspepsia

BACKGROUND

Affecting between 20% and 90% of the world's population depending on the geo-socio-economic conditions, Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection requires an adapted management because of the medico-economic stakes it generates. Also responsible for dyspepsia, the management of Hp infection differs in this context between international guidelines.

OBJECTIVES

The primary outcome of the study was assessing the quality of current guidelines for HP eradication in dyspepsia. The secondary was defining the best therapeutic strategy for patients consulting with dyspepsia in the outpatient setting.

METHODS

Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) published between January 2000 and May 2021 were retrieved from various databases (PubMed; Guidelines International Network; websites of scientific societies that issued the guidelines). Their quality was assessed using the AGREE II evaluation grid. To provide decision support for healthcare practitioners, particularly in primary care, a summary of the main points of interest for management was made for each guideline.

RESULTS

Fourteen guidelines were included. Only four (28.6%) could be validated according to AGREE II? Most of the non-validated guidelines had low ratings in the "Rigour of development" and "Applicability" domains with means of 40% [8%-71%] and 14% [0%-25%], respectively. Three out of four validated guidelines (75%) advocated a "test and treat" strategy for dyspepsia based on the national prevalence of Hp. Gastroscopy was the 1st line examination method in case of warning signs or high risk of gastric cancer. Triple therapy (Proton pomp inhibitor, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin) was favored for Hp eradication but required a study of the sensitivity to clarithromycin in the validated guidelines. Antibiotic resistance also had an impact on treatment duration.

CONCLUSIONS

Many guidelines were of poor quality, providing few decision-making tools for practical use. Conversely, those of good quality had established a management strategy addressing the current problems associated with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains.

Safety and efficacy of Xiaoyao-san for the treatment of functional dyspepsia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Objective: Although Xiaoyao-san (XYS) is a popular herbal remedy for indigestion, there is insufficient evidence to recommend it as a treatment option for functional dyspepsia (FD). This review aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of XYS in patients with FD, compared to conventional Western medicine (WM). Methods: Two independent reviewers searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using 11 electronic databases, including Medline and Embase, to evaluate therapeutic effects of XYS on FD up to 31 January 2023. The primary outcome was the total clinical efficacy rate (TCE), and secondary outcomes included scores of dyspepsia-related symptoms (DSS) and incidence of adverse events (AEs). The risk of bias was evaluated using the Cochrane collaboration tool, and data synthesis and subgroup analyses were performed using the Review Manager program. Results: Six studies involving 707 participants were included in the meta-analysis. XYS significantly improved TCE compared to WM (RR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.26, p = 0.002) with high heterogeneity (I ² = 59%, p = 0.06). Combination therapy also showed higher TCE than WM alone (RR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.05, 1.41, p = 0.008), and the heterogeneity was low (I ² = 0%, p = 0.86). The results showed a greater reduction in DSS in the XYS and combination therapy groups than in the WM alone group (SMD = -0.72, 95% CI: -0.90, -0.53, p < 0.00001) with low heterogeneity (I ² = 44%, p = 0.15), especially for abdominal distension and upper abdominal pain. AEs occurred less frequently in the XYS and combination therapy groups than in the WM alone group (RR = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.63, p = 0.006), and the heterogeneity was low (I ² = 45%, p = 0.18). The certainty of the evidence for each outcome was rated from "very low" to "high." Conclusion: This review suggests that XYS is effective and safe for reducing complaints in patients with FD. However, high-quality RCTs should be conducted to establish more convincing therapeutic evidence of XYS for the treatment of FD. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, CRD42020178842.

[Prospects for personalized Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. Pro et contra]

The article is devoted to debatable aspects of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. The eradication cancer-preventive effects are considered. A negative comorbidity between H. pylori infection and such diseases as gastroesophageal reflux disease, inflammatory bowel disease and bronchial asthma has been described. The perspectives of populational, individualized and personalized strategies for H. pylori eradication therapy assessment are given. Recommendations for individualized H. pylori eradication strategy implementation in practical healthcare are proposed.

Comparing diagnostic performance of Cantonese-Chinese version of Rome IV criteria and a short Reference Standard for functional dyspepsia in China

Introduction

Functional dyspepsia (FD) is diagnosed based on self-reported symptoms and negative upper gastrointestinal endoscopic findings. The Rome criteria were not adopted as a diagnostic instrument in clinical guidelines due to their complexity. Different guidelines used relatively simple symptom assessment schemes with contents that vary significantly. A previously evaluated short Reference Standard may serve as a more standardised tool for guidelines. We evaluated its diagnostic accuracy against the Rome IV criteria in a cross-sectional study in Hong Kong.

Methods

A total of 220 dyspeptic patients sampled consecutively from a tertiary hospital and the community completed the Rome IV diagnostic questionnaire, which was translated into Cantonese-Chinese, and the Reference Standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (LRs), and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated.

Results

Among the participants, 160 (72.7%) fulfilled the Reference Standard with negative upper gastrointestinal endoscopic results. The Reference Standard identified patients with Rome IV-defined FD with 91.1% (95% CI 82.6%–96.4%) sensitivity and 37.6% (95% CI 29.6%–46.1%) specificity. The positive and negative LRs were 1.46 (95% CI 1.26–1.69) and 0.24 (95% CI 0.11–0.49), respectively. The AUC value was 0.64 (95% CI 0.59–0.69).

Conclusions

The Reference Standard can rule out patients without Rome IV-defined FD. It may be used as an initial screening tool for FD in settings where the use of the Rome IV criteria is impractical. It may also provide a uniform definition and diagnostic rule for future updates of clinical guidelines.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12876-022-02520-6.

Eosinophil and Mast Cell Counts in the Stomach and Duodenum of Patients with Functional Dyspepsia without a Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Symptom-based subtyping of functional dyspepsia (FD) is used to segregate patients into groups with homogenous pathophysiological mechanisms. This study examined whether subtyping could reflect the duodenal and gastric microinflammation in FD patients.

METHODS

Twenty-one FD patients without Helicobacter pylori infection were recruited. An endoscopic biopsy was performed in the duodenum 2nd portion, stomach antrum, and body. The eosinophil and mast cell counts per high-power field (×40) were investigated by H&E and c-kit staining, respectively. The degree of inflammatory cell infiltration, atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia was also determined by H&E staining in the stomach. The baseline characteristics and eosinophil and mast cell infiltrations were compared among the three groups (epigastric pain syndrome, postprandial distress syndrome, and overlap).

RESULTS

According to the symptom assessment, seven subjects were classified into the epigastric pain syndrome group, 10 into the postprandial syndrome group, and four into the overlap group. The baseline variables were similar in the three groups. Eosinophil infiltration was more prominent in the duodenum than in the stomach. In contrast, mast cell infiltration was similar in the duodenum and stomach. The eosinophil counts in the duodenum were similar in the three groups. The eosinophil counts in the stomach and mast cell counts in the duodenum and stomach were also similar in the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Duodenal eosinophil infiltration was prominent in FD patients, but the eosinophil counts were similar regardless of the symptom-based subtypes of FD. Hence, the current symptom-based subtyping of FD does not reflect duodenal eosinophil and mast cell infiltration.

Functional dyspepsia symptom diary is correlated with other questionnaires and associated with severity in patients with functional dyspepsia: a multicenter, prospective observational study

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Functional dyspepsia symptom diary (FDSD) is a newly designed questionnaire of functional dyspepsia (FD). The relationships between FDSD and other FD-related questionnaires and patient-reported severity remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the correlations between FDSD and other questionnaires and to determine the relationships between FDSD and FD severity.

METHODS

Consecutive outpatients with FD were prospectively enrolled in four tertiary hospitals. All patients were evaluated by six FD-related questionnaires, including FDSD, Dyspepsia Symptom Severity Index (DSSI), Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale, Short-Form Nepean Dyspepsia Index, and Hamilton Depression and Anxiety Scale (HAMD and HAMA). The severity of FD was also graded as mild, moderate, and severe by patients themselves. Correlations between different scores were assessed by Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ), and risk factors for patient-reported severity were identified.

RESULTS

For 512 enrolled FD patients, the overall median FDSD score was 19 (2-42). FDSD was well correlated with DSSI (ρ = 0.64) and fairly correlated with the other four scores (ρ = 0.32-0.55) (all P < 0.001). Mild, moderate, and severe FD were reported by 18.5%, 55.9%, and 25.6% of patients, respectively. There were seven factors associated with the severe FD, including education level, duration, and subtypes of FD, prior treatment, FDSD, HAMD, and HAMA scores (all P < 0.10). FDSD ≥ 20 (odds ratio [OR] 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0-5.2, P < 0.001) and HAMD ≥ 13 (OR 2.9, 95% CI: 1.8-4.6, P < 0.001) were independently associated with patient-reported severe FD.

CONCLUSIONS

This study firstly revealed that the newly developed FDSD correlated with other FD-related questionnaires. FDSD ≥ 20 and HAMD ≥ 13 were independently associated with severe FD reported by patients (clinicaltrials.gov number: NCT04953975).

What is the Prevalence of Clinically Significant Endoscopic Findings in Subjects With Dyspepsia? Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The prevalence of clinically significant endoscopic findings in people with dyspepsia and understanding how symptoms can predict endoscopic pathology can help inform dyspepsia guidelines. We evaluated this in an updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews from 2010 through to January 2022 to identify relevant articles. Eligible studies enrolled adults from the community, workplace, blood donation or screening clinics, family physician offices, or internal medicine clinics. Studies were required to report prevalence of dyspepsia and perform esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). Prevalence of clinically significant endoscopic findings in subjects with and without dyspepsia was pooled for all studies and compared using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The data were pooled with those of the 9 studies included in the prior review.

RESULTS

Of 511 papers evaluated, 184 reported prevalence of dyspepsia. Fifteen reported prevalence of endoscopic findings among 41,763 participants (40.4% with dyspepsia). Erosive esophagitis was the most common abnormality (pooled prevalence, 11.0%; 95% CI, 8.9%-13.2%) followed by peptic ulcer (pooled prevalence, 4.4%; 95% CI, 2.5%-6.7%). The only finding encountered more frequently in individuals with dyspepsia, compared with those without, was peptic ulcer (odds ratio, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.08-2.39). More than 85% of EGDs were completely normal. Gastroesophageal cancer was rare (<0.4%) and equally prevalent among those with and without dyspepsia.

CONCLUSIONS

Erosive esophagitis was the most common clinically significant finding at EGD, whereas gastroesophageal cancers were rare. Most pathology, including esophagitis and cancer, were found in similar proportions in both groups. These findings support noninvasive approaches to managing dyspepsia in the community, with EGD reserved for those at high risk of malignancy.

The Role of Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Acupuncture Treatment for Functional Dyspepsia

Acupuncture is an effective therapy for functional dyspepsia (FD). However, the efficacy of acupuncture in the treatment of FD varies among individuals in clinical practice. This study aimed to reveal the brain response patterns in acupuncture higher response/lower response FD patients. Firstly, we performed a within-group comparison of brain function activity before and after acupuncture treatment in 115 FD patients and analyzed the correlation between brain function activity changes and clinical improvements. Secondly, 115 subjects were divided into the acupuncture higher response group or the lower response group based on the median clinical improvement values. The changes in functional brain activity after acupuncture treatment were investigated in these two groups, respectively. Finally, the identified brain regions associated with the clinical improvements were set as regions of interest (ROI), and the ROI-to-voxel functional connectivity comparisons were also performed in both groups, respectively. The results demonstrated that the functional activities of the left cerebellum inferior, right middle temporal gyrus, and right medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) were increased, and the left Heschl and right middle cingulate cortex were decreased in 115 FD patients after acupuncture treatment. The functional connectivity changes of mPFC were correlated with improving the Nepean Dyspepsia Symptom Index. The significant increase in mPFC functional activity was also found in acupuncture higher response FD patients but not in lower response FD patients. The functional connectivity between the mPFC and default mode network (DMN) was significantly diminished in the higher response group but not in the lower response group. In conclusion, this study suggested that modulating the functional activity of the mPFC and its connectivity to the DMN may be one of the important mechanisms of acupuncture for treating FD with a higher response.

Development and Validity Assessment of a Self-evaluation Questionnaire for Functional Dyspepsia: A Multicenter Prospective Study in Korea

Background/Aims

Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are essential for clinical decision making, conduction of clinical research, and drug application acquisition in functional gastrointestinal disorders. The aim of this study is to develop a PRO instrument and to determine the respondents’ perception of the efficacy of therapeutic agents for functional dyspepsia (FD).

Methods

A self-evaluation questionnaire for dyspepsia (SEQ-DYSPEPSIA) was developed and validated through a structured process. The 2-week reproducibility was evaluated, and the construct validity was assessed by correlating the scores of SEQ-DYSPEPSIA (including typical and major FD symptom subscales). Finally, the response to medication was assessed by comparing the changes after 4 weeks of treatment.

Results

A total of 193 Korean patients (age 48.5 ± 13.6 years, 69.4% women) completed the questionnaire. SEQ-DYSPEPSIA with 11 items had a good internal consistency (alpha = 0.770-0.905) and an acceptable test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.733-0.859). The self-evaluation questionnaire (SEQ)-major FD score highly correlated with the postprandial fullness/early satiety domain of the Patient Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptom Severity Index (correlation coefficient r = 0.741, P < 0.001), Nepean Dyspepsia Index-Korean version (NDI-K) (r = 0.839, P < 0.001), and NDI-K quality of life (r = −0.275 to −0.344, P < 0.001). After medical treatment, decrease in the SEQ-typical FD and SEQ-major FD was significantly greater in the responder group than in non-responder group (P = 0.019 and P = 0.009, respectively).

Conclusion

This study suggests that the Korean version of SEQ-DYSPEPSIA has good reliability and validity, and can be a useful PRO measurement tool in patients with FD.

Functional dyspepsia: a multifaceted problem in gastroenterology

The article presents the views on dyspepsia in world practice, data on the difficulties of diagnosis and the problem of the effectiveness of various therapy regimens. Particular attention is paid to the use of fixed forms of drugs for functional dyspepsia, in particular Omez DSR.

Chinese herbal medicine for functional dyspepsia: a network meta-analysis of prokinetic-controlled randomised trials

BACKGROUND

Prokinetic is the first-line conventional treatment for functional dyspepsia (FD) in Asia despite potential adverse events. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) may be an effective and safe substitution. This network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of different CHM formulae for FD against prokinetics.

METHODS

Seven international and Chinese databases were searched from their inception to July 2020 for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on CHM versus prokinetics. Data from each RCT were first pooled using random-effect pairwise meta-analyses and illustrated as risk difference (RD) or standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Random-effect NMAs were then performed to evaluate the comparative effectiveness of CHM formulae and displayed as RD with 95% CI or SMD with 95% credible interval (CrI). The GRADE partially contextualised framework was applied for NMA result interpretation.

RESULTS

Twenty-six unique CHM formulae were identified from twenty-eight RCTs of mediocre quality. Pairwise meta-analyses indicated that CHM was superior to prokinetics in alleviating global symptoms at 4-week follow-up (pooled RD: 0.14; 95% CI: 0.10-0.19), even after trim and fill adjustment for publication bias. NMAs demonstrated that Modified Zhi Zhu Decoction may have a moderate beneficial effect on alleviating global symptoms at 4-week follow-up (RD: 0.28; 95% CI: - 0.03 to 0.75). Xiao Pi Kuan Wei Decoction may have a large beneficial effect on alleviating postprandial fullness (SMD: - 2.14; 95% CI: - 2.76 to 0.70), early satiety (SMD: - 3.90; 95% CI: - 0.68 to - 0.42), and epigastric pain (SMD: - 1.23; 95% CI: - 1.66 to - 0.29). No serious adverse events were reported.

CONCLUSION

Modified Zhi Zhu Decoction and Xiao Pi Kuan Wei Decoction may be considered as an alternative for patients unresponsive to prokinetics. Confirmatory head-to-head trials should be conducted to investigate their comparative effectiveness against prokinetics.

Functional gastrointestinal disorders. Overlap syndrome Clinical guidelines of the Russian Scientific Medical Society of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterological Scientific Society of Russia

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Functional dyspepsia: A critical appraisal of the European consensus from a global perspective

The European Society for Neurogastroenterology and Motility's (ESNM) consensus document on functional dyspepsia (FD) has provided a critical review of the evidence for 36 statements highly relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of FD. We provide here our expert opinion on the North American, Australian and Asian assessments of the same topics discussed, and provide evidence where the ESNM consensus may deviate from those in the other continents. New and exciting data about the pathogenesis of FD are emerging including the possible central role of duodenal micro-inflammation (most notably eosinophilic duodenitis and intestinal mast cell disease), but this is a very dynamic field with several gaps remaining in our understanding that are summarized in this review. Identification of non-invasive biomarkers and testing of targeted therapies, including assessing the benefits of multidisciplinary teams in the management of FD, should be future priorities.

The Fear of Gastric Cancer in Patients with Dyspepsia: Challenge in Specialist Care Gastroenterology

BACKGROUND

Dyspepsia is one of the most common complaints in gastroenterology. While its etiology is usually benign, rare cases of malignancy have to be identified. Individualized risk stratification is essential for cost-effective management of dyspepsia. Here, we discuss the challenges of investigating dyspepsia at the specialist level and provide a framework for rational workup and surveillance strategies.

SUMMARY

Causes of dyspepsia can be functional or organic, including gastritis, peptic ulcers, or malignancy. H. pylori gastritis represents a specific entity of dyspepsia and increases the risk of gastric cancer. H. pylori eradication can improve symptoms in a subset of patients and reduce gastric cancer risk. In young patients without alarm features, malignancy is rare, and noninvasive testing for H. pylori is appropriate. In elder patients and those with alarm features, high-quality endoscopy is the method of choice to rule out malignancy. Advanced corpus-predominant atrophic gastritis with or without intestinal metaplasia represent precancerous lesions.

KEY MESSAGES

Symptom assessment requires to distinguish dyspepsia of functional or organic origin. Risk stratification in dyspeptic patients is based on age, alarm features, and H. pylori status. Noninvasive test-and-treat is recommended in patients with low gastric cancer risk, while endoscopy is recommended in individuals at increased risk. H. pylori infection should be eradicated in order to obtain a symptomatic benefit and reduce gastric cancer risk. Advanced preneoplastic lesions require endoscopic surveillance.

Multicenter, Randomized, Placebo-controlled Trial to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of a Controlled-release, Once-daily UIC201609/UIC201610 Combination Therapy for Functional Dyspepsia: Preliminary Study

Backgrounds/Aims

Functional dyspepsia is a disease involving a range of upper gastrointestinal symptoms derived from various pathophysiologies. Tablets containing a combination of rabeprazole and controlled-release (CR) mosapride were recently developed. To investigate a more effective treatment, this trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of UIC201609/UIC201610 as a preliminary study.

Methods

A multicenter, double-blind, randomized study was performed on 30 subjects. UIC201609/UIC201610 (combination of rabeprazole and CR mosapride) was the case group, and the two control groups were rabeprazole 10 mg once a day and mosapride 15 mg CR tablet once a day. As a primary efficacy endpoint of the study, the changes in the total score of eight items of the Nepean Dyspepsia Index-Korean version were analyzed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks. The outcomes regarding safety were collected.

Results

The total symptom score of Nepean Dyspepsia Index-Korean decreased in the rabeprazole single group (29.4±17.1), mosapride CR single group (33.4±15.6), and UIC201609/UIC201610 group (33.4±11.8) at 4 weeks without significant differences. On the other hand, the UIC201609/UIC201610 combination group showed more score reduction of pain in the upper abdomen, burning in the upper abdomen compared to each control group, but it did not reach statistical significance. No difference was found in safety analysis.

Conclusions

UIC201609/UIC201610 once daily showed some improvement in epigastric pain and dyspepsia in patients with functional dyspepsia, but there was no significance. Further study based on the advanced clinical trial design will be needed to confirm the efficacy of UIC201609/UIC201610 combination therapy in the future.

[The prevalence and risk of sleep disorders in patients with functional dyspepsia: a meta-analysis]

OBJECTIVE

Systematization of data on the incidence and risk of sleep disorders in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Studies were searched in the electronic databases MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane until October 2020. Publications with detailed descriptive statistics (sample size, number of patients with sleep disorders) were selected for the final analysis, allowing the resulting data to be included in the meta-analysis.

RESULTS

The final analysis included 10 studies with 7739 people (2354 patients with FD, 5385 controls). The generalized incidence of sleep disturbances in patients with FD was 53.23% (95% CI: 37.738-68.419). There was significant heterogeneity between the results (p<0.0001; I²=98.05%). An association was found between FD and sleep disorders (OR 2.884; 95% CI 2.518-3.304; I²=28.35%) compared with controls. In patients with epigastric pain syndrome (EPS), the generalized incidence of sleep disorders was 40.6% (95% CI 34.267-47.181; I²=0%), with postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) - 51.82% (95% CI 26.479-76.666; I²=94.76%), and at the intersection of EPS and PDS - 51.67% (95% CI 23.497-79.270; I²=95.34%).

CONCLUSION

The meta-analysis has demonstrated that sleep disorders are often associated with FD and are observed in about every second patient with this functional gastrointestinal disease. Further research is needed to investigate possible causal relationships between sleep disorders and FD.

Evaluation of main functional dyspepsia symptoms after probiotic administration in patients receiving conventional pharmacological therapies

Objective

Postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) and epigastric pain syndrome (EPS) are the two main forms of functional dyspepsia (FD). Probiotics are a promising therapy for FD, but current data remains heterogeneous. This work aims to evaluate a probiotic combination of Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus LR04 (DSM 16605), Lactiplantibacillus pentosus LPS01 (DSM 21980), Lactiplantibacillus plantarum LP01 (LMG P-21021), and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. delbruekii LDD01 (DMS 22106), alone or together with other pharmacological therapies, for clinical improvement of symptoms associated with FD.

Methods

Patients with FD were enrolled and divided into two groups: PDS and EPS. Probiotic alone or combined with prokinetics, antacids, or proton-pump-inhibitors were administered for 30 days. A progressive-score scale was used to evaluate symptoms in all patients at the beginning of the trial and at 15 days after the end of treatment.

Results

A cohort of 2676 patients were enrolled (1 357 with PDS; 1 319 with EPS). All patients showed significant improvements in dyspeptic symptoms following treatment. In patients with PDS, probiotic alone resulted in the lowest prevalence of symptoms following treatment, while patients with EPS showed no clear between-treatment differences.

Conclusions

Dyspeptic symptoms were reduced following treatment in all patients.

Proton Pump Inhibitors Increase the Risk of Early Biliary Infection After Placement of Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Stents

PURPOSE

To investigate the association between the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and the risk of early biliary infection (EBI) after the placement of percutaneous transhepatic biliary stents (PTBS) in patients with unresectable malignant biliary obstruction (MBO).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 136 patients with unresectable MBO (82 males and 54 females) treated with PTBS were included in this multicenter retrospective study. PPIs were prescribed to MBO patients with dyspepsia. The risk factors for EBI were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses. The association between the use of PPIs and EBI was assessed by logistic analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 72 (53%) patients were regular users of PPIs, and 33 (24%) patients developed EBI after PTBS. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that diabetes (hazard ratio [HR], 20.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.6-72.9; P <.001), biliary stones (HR, 20.3; 95% CI, 5.6-72.9; P <.001) and PPIs (HR, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.2-12.8; P =.020) were risk factors for EBI. Further analyses of the correlation between the duration of PPIs use and EBI demonstrated that a prolonged use of PPIs significantly increased the risk of EBI (PPIs for <15 days vs 15-30 days: HR, 10.2; 95% CI, 3.1-33.3; P <.001; and PPIs <15 days vs ≥30 days; HR, 20.4; 95% CI, 2.2-192.3; P <.001).

CONCLUSION

The use of PPIs increased the risk of EBI after PTBS in patients with unresectable MBO. Furthermore, the risk of EBI increased with a prolonged duration of PPIs use.

Questionnaire-Based Survey on Epidemiology of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders and Current Status of Gastrointestinal Motility Testing in Asian Countries

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are diagnosed and classified using the latest Rome IV criteria, released in 2016. Epidemiology of FGID diagnosed by the Rome IV criteria and current clinical application of gastrointestinal motility testing in Asian countries are not well known. The aims of this survey are to elucidate the present situation of epidemiology and diagnostic tests of FGID in clinical practice in some East and Southeast Asian countries.

METHODS

The questionnaire focusing on current situation of FGID diagnosis and gastrointestinal motility testing was distributed to members of the International Gastroenterology Consensus Symposium study group and collected to be analyzed.

RESULTS

The prevalence rates of subtypes of both functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are relatively similar in all Asian countries. In these countries, most patients underwent both upper endoscopy and Helicobacter pylori test to diagnose FD. Colonoscopy was also frequently performed to diagnose IBS and chronic constipation. The frequency of gastrointestinal motility testing to examine gastric emptying and colonic transit time varied among Asian countries.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey revealed epidemiology of FGIDs and current status of gastrointestinal motility testing in some East and Southeast Asian countries.

Review - Helicobacter pylori and non-malignant upper gastro-intestinal diseases

This review takes into account recent publications focusing on the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and non-malignant diseases of the upper gastro-intestinal tract. The authors have summarized current knowledge on associations between the H pylori infection and non-malignant upper GI conditions including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's esophagus, eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE), peptic ulcer disease (PUD), H pylori gastritis, celiac disease and functional dyspepsia. In the field of GERD, current data focusing on different locations of H pylori infection detect significant differences between antrum- and corpus predominant gastritis explainable by different changes in acid secretion in different gastric niches. High volume studies from Sweden and Brazil underline the safety of H pylori eradication concerning the risk of Barret's esophagus or adenocarcinoma. The relationship betweenH pylori infection and EOE remains uncertain, but current data supports the concept of expected positive and protective effects of H pylori exposure reducing the risk of EOE. Analyzing biomarkers might be helpful to identify subjects under risk for the development of precancerous lesions after H pylori infection, where microRNAs, IL-9 and IL-4, and also Tc17/9 and Th17/9 and microbiota profiles showed promising results to identify subgroups under risk.