On May 12, the annals of internal medicine, an international authoritative medical journal, published the article "randomized controlled trial of acupuncture in the treatment of postprandial discomfort syndrome" led by Liu Cunzhi, Professor of acupuncture and Massage College of Beijing University of traditional Chinese medicine. The results showed that acupuncture treatment could significantly improve the symptoms of early satiety, upper abdominal distention and post meal fullness in patients with functional dyspepsia.

Based on years of clinical experience and the prescription of "old ten acupuncture" created by Wang leting, a late acupuncture expert, the study emphasizes on ascending and descending the Qi machine, regulating the middle and strengthening the spleen, selecting acupoints according to the etiology and pathogenesis characteristics of postprandial discomfort syndrome, forming a semi standardized acupuncture and moxibustion treatment scheme.

278 patients with postprandial discomfort syndrome were randomly divided into two groups: acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group. Nine points of Baihui and Tanzhong were selected for acupuncture treatment in the acupuncture group and the same number of non points were selected for acupuncture in the false acupuncture group. The acupuncture process of the two groups was operated by acupuncturists who obtained the qualification certificate of Chinese medicine practitioners and had more than 3 years of clinical work experience. There was one acupuncturist in each of the five hospitals participating in the experiment to perform acupuncture or sham acupuncture.

The results showed that after 4 weeks of acupuncture treatment, 83% of the patients' symptoms were significantly improved, and 27.8% of the patients' three core symptoms of early satiety, upper abdominal distention and postprandial fullness disappeared completely. The study found that the improvement effect of acupuncture began to appear from the second week of treatment, and steadily improved. During the 12 week follow-up period after treatment, the improvement effect of acupuncture group continued to exist. The effect of sham acupuncture group decreased significantly after the treatment, indicating that its effect during the treatment was not the real acupuncture effect.

According to statistics, 8% - 12% of the global population is suffering from functional dyspepsia. Its high prevalence, relatively young patient population and chronic relapse of symptoms cause serious negative socio-economic impact on the health care system. This randomized controlled trial shows that acupuncture is an effective method for the treatment of functional dyspepsia, especially for the symptoms of dyspepsia.

Nicholas, chairman of the Rome Committee of international functional gastroenterology J. Talley) praised the study in an interview with the American Medical Journal today's medical news, saying that "the study used a composite primary endpoint index of symptom relief and elimination; acupuncture reached this endpoint in the fourth week, and the effect continued after the treatment was stopped, indicating that acupuncture can change the development process of the disease."

Led by Liu Cunzhi's team, the randomized controlled trial was jointly completed by Oriental Hospital, Dongzhimen Hospital, huguosi hospital, Beijing Hospital of traditional Chinese medicine and Beijing Friendship Hospital of Capital Medical University.

Time：2020.5.15

Source：http://www.satcm.gov.cn/hudongjiaoliu/guanfangweixin/2020-05-15/15103.html