Abdominothoracic Muscular Tone in Functional Dyspepsia

Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (HUVH)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Dyspepsia

Treatments: Behavioral: Abdominothoracic biofeedback

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05417204

PR(AG)163/2022

Details and patient eligibility

About

Background. Patients with functional dyspepsia report symptoms after eating without detectable cause. A recent proof-of-concept study demonstrated that in healthy subjects, the activity of the abdominal walls influences perception of digestive sensations, specifically, intentional abdominal distension (by a maneuver of diaphragmatic contraction) increased bloating sensation in response to a probe meal.

Aim. To determine the role of the abdominothoracic muscular activity on symptoms of functional dyspepsia.

Design. Parallel study in dyspeptic patients who have an abnormal somatic response to a probe meal (experimental group), and patients who do not (control group), comparing the effect of abdominophrenic biofeedback on dyspeptic symptoms. The probe meal will consist in stepwise ingestion of a comfort meal (hot ham and cheese sandwich plus orange juice) up to maximal satiation.

Intervention. A standard biofeedback technique (3 sessions over a 4-week period) directed at controlling the muscular activity (postural tone) of the abdominal walls, will serve as active intervention in the experimental group, and as a sham intervention in the control (active comparator) group.

The study outcomes will be measured before, immediately after and at 6 months after biofeedback: 1) Clinical symptoms measured by scales during 7 consecutive days. 2) Responses to the probe meal: (a) sensations measured by scales; (b) changes in girth by adaptive belts; (c) diaphragmatic position by abdominal ultrasound.

Relevance. The identification of a pathophysiological mechanism of dyspeptic symptoms could serve as an objective marker for diagnosis and as a target for the development of mechanistic treatments.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Rome IV Criteria for functional dyspepsia

Exclusion criteria

• organic gastrointestinal diseases
• obesity
• history of anosmia and ageusia
• alcohol abuse
• eating disorders

Age- and-sex-matched healthy subjects will be included in parallel to the 30 first patients, to determine the normal values of the response to the probe meal. Healthy subjects will not undergo the intervention.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Correction of abnormal somatic response to a meal

Experimental group

Description:

Biofeedback in patients with functional dyspepsia and abnormal somatic response to a probe meal

Treatment:

Behavioral: Abdominothoracic biofeedback

Sham intervention in patients with normal somatic response to a meal

Active Comparator group

Description:

Biofeedback in patients with functional dyspepsia and normal somatic response to a probe meal

Treatment:

Behavioral: Abdominothoracic biofeedback