[Electroacupuncture combined with western medication for non-erosive reflux disease: a randomized controlled trial]

To compare the clinical efficacy on non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) among electroacupuncture (EA) combined with rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated capsules, sham-EA combined with rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated capsules, and rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated capsules alone.

A total of 156 patients with NERD were randomly assigned, at 1∶1∶1, into an EA group (52 cases, 2 cases dropped out), a sham-EA group (52 cases, 2 cases dropped out), and a western medication group (52 cases, 2 cases dropped out). In the western medication group, rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated capsules were administered orally, 20 mg, once daily and for 8 weeks. In the EA group, besides the medication as the western medication group, EA was operated at the positive reaction points along the governor vessel, Dazhui (GV14) and Baihui (GV20), etc., with continuous wave and at the frequency of 10 Hz and an electric intensity of 2-5 mA. EA was delivered once every 2 days, 3 sessions a week and for 8 weeks. In the sham-EA group, the stimulating point selection and EA operation were the same as the EA group, but without electric stimulation exerted. The scores of reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and self-rating depression scale (SDS) were assessed before and after treatment, as well as in the 3-month follow-up; and the clinical efficacy was evaluated in each group.

After treatment and in the 3-month follow-up, the scores of RDQ and SDS were reduced in each group (P<0.05); the EA group showed the lower scores of RDQ and SDS when compared with those in the sham-EA group and the western medication group (P<0.05), and the scores of RDQ and SDS in the sham-EA group were lower than those of the western medication group (P<0.05). The SAS score was lower after treatment in comparison with that before treatment in each group (P<0.05), and the score in both the EA group and the sham-EA group was reduced in follow-up (P<0.05). After treatment and in follow-up, SAS scores in the EA group were lower than those in the sham-EA group and the western medication group, respectively (P<0.05), and the scores in the sham-EA group were lower when compared with those in the western medication group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the EA group was 96.0% (48/50), higher than that in the sham-EA group (92.0%, 46/50) and the western medication group (86.0%, 43/50, P<0.05); and the total effective rate in the sham-EA group was higher than that in the western medication group (P<0.05).

Electroacupuncture combined with rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated capsules effectively alleviates clinical symptoms and emotional disorders in patients with NERD, presenting sustained therapeutic effect; and its efficacy is superior to the combined regimen of sham-EA and rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated capsules or the administration with rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated capsules alone.