Dalitong Granule Combined with Electroacupuncture in the Treatment of Functional Dyspepsia: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To explore clinical short and long-term effect of combining Dalitong Granule (DG) and electroacupuncture group (EA) in the treatment of functional dyspepsia. Methods: Totally 640 patients with confirmed functional dyspepsia were randomly divided into 4 groups using a randomized digital table: the DG group, the EA group, the combined group and the control group, 160 cases in each group. The DG group was treated with 6 g DG 3 times daily; the EA group was treated with puncture of points Zusanli (ST36), Zhongwan (CV12), Neiguan (PC6), Taichong (LR3) and Gongsun (SP4) twice daily; the combined group with above-mentioned DG and EA; and the control group with 5 mg mosapride 3 times, 20 mg pantoprazole and 25 mg amitriptylines twice daily. The treatment course was 4 weeks for all groups. The symptom score, quality of life score by Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaires (SF-36), plasma motilin by radioimmunoassay, electrogastrographic frequencies by electrogastrogram (EGG) and gastric emptying by B-sonography were examined, and adverse reactions were observed before, at the end of treatment and 60 weeks post-treatment. Results: In the DG group 1 case dropped out for not taking medicine strictly and 1 case was lost to follow-up, while 1 case in the EA group and 2 cases in the combined therapy group were lost to follow-up. Compared with pre-treatment, quality of life score, plasma motilin, electrogastrographic frequencies and gastric emptying were all increased significantly, while symptom score was decreased significantly at the end of treatment in each group (P < 0.01); in the combined group quality of life score, plasma motilin, electrogastrographic frequencies and gastric emptying were all significantly higher than those in the other groups, while symptom score was significantly lower than in the other groups (P < 0.05). Compared with at the end of treatment, these indices changed insignificantly in the combined group and the EA group 60 weeks post-treatment (P > 0.05), but the 4 increased indices were all decreased significantly, and symptom score was increased significantly in the DG and the control groups (P > 0.05). The short and long-term total effective rates in the combined group were all significantly higher than those in the other treatment groups (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). No serious adverse reaction occurred in the four groups. Conclusion: Combined treatment of DG and EA could increase both plasma motilin and electrogastrographic frequencies, promote gastric emptying, alleviate the symptom of dyspepsia so as to increase quality of life, with better safety and long- term effect.