title: Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Acustimulation on Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.
abstract: Objective. To investigate effects and possible mechanisms of transcutaneous electrical acustimulation (TEA) performed by a wearable watch-size stimulator for refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (RGERD). Methods. Twenty patients diagnosed as RGERD were enrolled in the study and randomly divided into four groups: esomeprazole group (Group A), esomeprazole combined with TEA group (Group B), esomeprazole combined with sham-TEA group (Group C), and esomeprazole combined with domperidone group (Group D). HRM and 24 h pH-impedance monitoring and GerdQ score were used to measure related indexes before and after treatment. Results. (1) TEA significantly increased LESP, compared with PPI treatment only or PPI plus sham-TEA. After pairwise comparison, LESP of Group B was increased more than Group A (P = 0.008) or Group C (P = 0.021). (2) PPI plus TEA decreased not only the number of acid reflux episodes but also the number of weak acid reflux episodes (P = 0.005). (3) Heartburn and reflux symptoms were improved more with PPI + TEA than with PPI treatment only or PPI plus sham-TEA (GerdQ scores, P = 0.001). Conclusion. TEA can improve symptoms in RGERD patients by increasing LESP and decreasing events of weak acid reflux and acid reflux; addition of TEA to esomeprazole significantly enhances the effect of TEA.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, Division of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2015-5742
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, Division of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6433-2184
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Ningbo Pace Translational Medical Research Center, Beilun, Ningbo 315043, China; Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Jiande D Z
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0191-5697
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, Division of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Feng
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9320-5819
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Digestive Pathophysiology of Zhejiang Province, Division of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3783-2578
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lu