title: Efficacy and safety of manual acupuncture manipulations with different frequencies on epigastric pain syndrome (EPS) in functional dyspepsia (FD) patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: Manual acupuncture (MA) manipulations are one of the key factors influencing acupuncture effects in traditional Chinese medicine theory. Different MA manipulations contain different stimulating parameters, thus generating different acupuncture responses or effects. Evidence has demonstrated that acupuncture is effective for functional dyspepsia (FD). However, the effects of different stimulating parameters of MA manipulations on FD remain unclear.
  
  
  
  This study is a randomized controlled trial with a four-arm, parallel-group structure. Patients with FD with epigastric pain syndrome (EPS) will be included and randomly allocated into four groups: three MA manipulation groups (separately treated with a frequency of 1 Hz, 2 Hz, or 3 Hz) and a control group. All groups will receive omeprazole as a basic treatment and acupuncture: in the MA manipulation groups, the needles will be manipulated manually with three different frequencies on the basis when de qi is reached, while in the control group, the needles will be inserted without any manipulation. All patients will receive acupuncture treatment of five consecutive sessions per week for 2 weeks and be followed up at 4, 8, and 12 weeks. The primary outcomes of the study include patients' response to the treatment. The secondary outcomes include dyspeptic symptoms, quality of life, mental status, fasting serum gastrin, motilin, and ghrelin concentrations, and adverse events. The protocol was approved by the Ethics committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (2016-K-057-01).
  
  
  
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of MA manipulations with different stimulating parameters (different frequencies) on EPS in patients with FD.
  
  
  
  Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-IOR-16008189 . Registered on 30 March 2016.
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture Department, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of TCM, Hangzhou, China. hongshouhai@163.com.
authors.forename: Shou-Hai
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Department, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin, China.
authors.forename: Sha-Sha
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, The First Hospital of Wuhu city, Wuhu, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture Department, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of TCM, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture Department, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of TCM, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture Department, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of TCM, Hangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Jia
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Acupuncture Department, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of TCM, Hangzhou, China. xlh1083@163.com.
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Xuan
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002681:China; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015671:Electroacupuncture / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood; D054439:Ghrelin / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009037:Motilin / Q000097:blood; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C515349:GHRL protein, human; D005755:Gastrins; D054439:Ghrelin; D009037:Motilin
keywords: Epigastric pain syndrome; Functional dyspepsia; Lifting-inserting; Manipulations; Manual acupuncture