Clinical Study of Wuhua Qinqian Decoction in the Treatment of Non-erosive Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Due to Gallbladder Heat Invading Stomach

OBJECTIVE To study the clinical effect of Wuhua Qinqian Decoction on non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (NERD) due to gallbladder heat invading stomach. METHODS 60 patients performing gastroscopy and monitoring 24-hour esophageal impedance pH (MII-pH) after being diagnosed with NERD caused by gallbladder heat invading stomach in Kunshan TCM Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine from January 2017 to September 2018 were enrolled， and they were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group with 30 patients in each. The treatment group was given oral Wuhua Qinqian Decoction and the control group was given oral omeprazole enteric-coated capsule. Both of their courses lasted for 8 weeks. The changes of TCM syndrome scores， curative effect and 24 h MII-pH monitoring results before and after treatment in the two groups were compared. RESULTS The TCM syndrome scores and curative effect in the treatment group were better than those in the control group (P<0.05， P<0.01). The treatment group had more advantages in the treatment of dry mouth and throat and insomnia (P<0.05， P<0.01). 24-hour esophageal MII-pH monitoring results， the acidity and basicity of reflux content and De-Meester score (except for the weak base reflux in the control group) were all improved in both groups after treatment (P<0.01). The improvement of the acid and the weak acid reflux were similar in the two groups (P>0.05). In the aspect of the weak base reflux， the improvement of the treatment group was better than that of control group (P<0.01). The improvement of De-Meester score in the treatment group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Wuhua Qinqian Decoction can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of NERD caused by gallbladder heat invading stomach and effectively inhibit weak base reflux in NERD patients， which is worthy of clinical application.