Acupuncture vs. Higher PPI Doses for GERD Patients

Can this alternative technique reduce persistent GERD symptoms in patients with incomplete responses to PPIs?

Although proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are the most effective therapy available for gastroesophageal reflux disease, 25% to 40% of patients who use these medications continue to suffer persistent GERD-related symptoms. The standard approach for treating such patients is to double their PPI doses, but, even at this higher level, only a subset of patients will demonstrate substantial improvement. Encouraged by the success of acupuncture in treating various gastrointestinal disorders, researchers studied whether double-dose PPI therapy (40 mg daily) or acupuncture plus standard-dose PPI therapy (20 mg daily) was more effective in controlling persistent GERD symptoms.

Thirty patients from two U.S. medical centers were randomized to standard-dose…

Reviewing Author

David A. Johnson, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory boardMedscape/WebMD; Pfizer; CRH Medical Corporation; Aries

EquityCRH Medical Corporation

Editorial boardsMedscape Gastroenterology

Leadership positions in professional societiesAmerican College of Gastroenterology Research Institute Board of Directors