Exploring Pattern Differentiation Of GERD Patients In Singapore

Aim:Thesis is on clinical efficacy study of using Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment of Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Singapore. The study was carried out through monitoring the effectiveness and side effects of using TCM in the treatment of GERD patients. The patients for the study were those had sought and been treated by local modern medicine practitioners prior to seeking TCM treatment. They were each diagnosed using TCM practice through seeking the cause from symptoms and given personalized treatment in accordingly. It was serves as a preliminary study of the treatment of GERD using TCM syndrome-based diagnosis. Through this clinical efficacy study, a suitable treatment regime can be proposed as an alternative option for GERD patients in Singapore.Method:Altogether45patients from ECON TCM Clinic, Singapore, satisfying the research criteria were chosen as subjects for this study. These patients had previously been treated for GERD using antacids prescribed by modern medicine practitioners without significant improvement and still experiencing recurrence of the GERD symptoms. All subjects had to complete a Reflux Diagnostic Questionnaire (RDQ) and a TCM syndrome-based diagnosis prior to the commencement of the treatment. The subjects were given7-8g of granular Chinese Medicine, to be taken2times a day, over a period of8weeks. The subjects were reviewed once at the end of2nd,4th,6th and8th week respectively. RDQ score before and after the treatment were compared and tabulated using SPSS17.0, using t-test and a significance value of P<0.01to determine if the differences were statistically significant. Follow-up surveys were conducted at the end of1st,2nd and3rd month after the completion of the8-week treatment regime, to enable monitoring the longer term effects of the therapy.Results:Of the45subjects, none (0%) experienced complete cure,6(13%) experienced significant improvement,39(87%) experienced moderate improvement; none (0%) experienced no improvement. RDQ score of the symptoms of heartburn, pain behind the sternum, regurgitation of gastric acid and regurgitation of undigested food from stomach, the results showed that the improvement was statistically significant (P<0.01) as compared to that before TCM treatment which was statistically not significant (P>0.05). Post-treatment follow-up also covered the surveys on the recurrence rate of GERD symptoms, and the patient with less than50%reduction in symptoms was considered as having recurrence,whereas those with more than50%reduction in symptoms were considered as having no recurrence.The survey results showed that recurrence rate was27%while non-recurrence stood at63%, pointing to a long-term effectiveness of using TCM treatment on GERD.Conclusion:The TCM syndrome-based diagnosis and treatment of GERD is safe and effective with significant long-term effectiveness. This treatment regime is suitable for treatment of GERD patients in Singapore.