ClinicalTrials.Veeva

Menu

Treatment of Functional Abdominal Distension by Non-instrumental Biofeedback

V

Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (HUVH)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Functional Bloating
Dyspepsia

Treatments

Behavioral: Placebo
Behavioral: Biofeedback

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT06150638
PR(AG)459-2023

Details and patient eligibility

About

Background. Abdominal distention is produced by an abnormal somatic postural tone. The authors developed an original biofeedback technique based on electromyography-guided control of abdominothoracic muscular activity. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial the authors demonstrated the superiority of biofeedback over placebo for the treatment of abdominal distention. However, the technique is technically complex and unpractical.

Aim. To prove the efficacy of a non-instrumental biofeedback technique for the treatment of abdominal distension.

Selection criteria. Visible abdominal distension after meal ingestion; patients are able to identify the offending meal.

Intervention. Patients will be randomized into biofeedback in placebo groups. Three sessions of either biofeedback or placebo intervention will be performed during the first 3 weeks of the intervention period.

Biofeedback: patients will be taught to control abdominal and thoracic muscular activity by providing instructions using an original video support. Patients will be instructed to perform the same exercises before and after breakfast, lunch and dinner during the 4-week intervention period.

Placebo: sham measurements of abdominal and thoracic motion will be performed, and a pill of placebo containing 0.21 g glucose will be administered; patients will be instructed to take a pill of placebo before breakfast, lunch and dinner during the 4-week intervention period.

Enrollment

41 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 80 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  • episodes of visible abdominal distension triggered by meal ingestion
  • patients are able to identify the offending foodstuff

Exclusion criteria

  • organic cause detected by clinical work-up
  • constipation
  • abdominal distension not confirmed by the 7-day clinical questionnaires or after the probe meal in the pre-intervention evaluation

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Single Blind

41 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Biofeedback
Experimental group
Treatment:
Behavioral: Biofeedback
Placebo
Placebo Comparator group
Treatment:
Behavioral: Placebo

Trial contacts and locations

1

Loading...

Central trial contact

Fernando Azpiroz, MD; Jordi Serra, MD

Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

Clinical trials

Find clinical trialsTrials by location
© Copyright 2026 Veeva Systems