Benefit of supplements in functional dyspepsia after treatment of Helicobacter pylori.
OBJECTIVE
Functional dyspepsia, though benign, leads to deterioration of the quality of life and high costs for healthcare systems. The optimal therapy for functional dyspepsia is still to be defined because of its multifactorial pathogenesis. In an open multicentric study of patients with functional dyspepsia, we prospectively evaluated the benefit of treatment with a food supplement composed of sodium alginate, carbonate calcium, pineapple, papaya, ginger, α-galactosidase and fennel (Perdiges, Bioten Snc, Turin, Italy).


METHODS
Ninety-one consecutive patients were included, suffering from functional dyspepsia, who had been previously submitted to therapy to eradicate the infection from Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and were waiting to perform the Urea Breath Test (UBT). The primary goal was to establish the percentage of patients who continued to abstain from proton pump inhibitors (PPI) as they waited to carry out the UBT, differentiating between patients who were treated (N.=55) with Perdiges and those who were not (N.=36). Our secondary goal was to document the differences within the 2 groups in terms of symptoms perceived between the start and end of the observation period. The wellness reported, during or in absence of treatment with Perdiges, was evaluated by the use of the VAS scale (Visual Analogical Scale) completed before the start of the treatment and after 30 days.


RESULTS
All the patients treated with Perdiges (55/55, 100%) and 31/36 (86.1%) patients who were not (P=0.008) continued to abstain from PPI in the period awaiting the UBT. The VAS scale of those who took Perdiges improved on average by 1.78 points versus a worsening of 0.08 points of those who did not take it (P<0.0001). Furthermore, while among those who took Perdiges there was a statistically significant improvement (P<0.0001) in the VAS scale, between the baseline and the end of treatment, a worsening of 0.08 points (P=0.78) was noticed among the patients who did not take it.


CONCLUSIONS
Perdiges is significantly effective in the period following treatment to eradicate the infection from H. pylori in patients with functional dyspepsia. This allows to reduce the need to use antisecretive drugs. Further randomised studies, with wide ranging case histories, must assess its long-term efficacy.
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology San Giovanni Battista (Molinette) Hospital Turin, Italy - rinaldo_pellican@hotmail.com.
R
R
Pellicano
D G
DG
Ribaldone
G M
GM
Saracco
N
N
Leone
C
C
De Angelis
A
A
Arrigoni
E
E
Morello
N
N
Sapone
F
F
Cisarò
M
M
Astegiano
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D001710:Biotin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D011788:Quality of Life; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D064232:Visual Analog Scale; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; C000594915:Perdiges; D028321:Plant Preparations; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D001710:Biotin