Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38869961›Full record

SynthesisJournal of clinical gastroenterology2025

Efficacy of Baclofen as Add-on Therapy for Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Meta-analysis.

Hongyi Dong, Ying Luo, Diangang Liu, Xing Du, Haijun Du

Abstract readMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of clinical gastroenterology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Hongyi DongDepartment of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Ying LuoDepartment of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Diangang LiuDepartment of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Xing DuDepartment of General Surgery, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
Haijun DuDepartment of General Surgery, Xiong'an Xuanwu Hospital, Xiong'an, Hebei Province, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesAs a GABAB receptor agonist, baclofen has demonstrated efficacy in alleviating symptoms of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (r-GERD). This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of baclofen as an add-on therapy for this condition.

methodWe conducted a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases for studies published up until October 2023. Subsequently, we performed a meta-analysis encompassing all eligible trials.

resultsFrom 719 records, 10 studies were included, most of these studies were moderate risk. The findings demonstrated that the addition of baclofen as a supplementary treatment effectively improves symptoms (GERD Q score) in r-GERD (standardized mean difference=-0.78, 95% CI: -1.06 to -0.51, I2 =0%). The addition of this treatment also resulted in a decrease in the frequency of nonacidic reflux episodes (standardized mean difference=-0.93, 95% CI: -1.49 to -0.37, I2 =63%) and an improvement in DeMeester scores (standardized mean difference=-0.82, 95% CI: -1.61 to -0.04, I2 =81%) among patients with r-GERD when compared with the use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) drugs alone. However, no significant disparity was observed in terms of reducing acid reflux episodes (standardized mean difference=-0.12, 95% CI: -0.49 to 0.19, I2 =0%) and proximal reflux (standardized mean difference=-0.47, 95% CI: -1.08 to 0.14, I2 =60%).

conclusionBaclofen as an add-on treatment can effectively improve the symptoms of patients with r-GERD and reduce the incidence of nonacidic reflux and improve DeMeester score. However, long-term use of baclofen leads to an increased incidence of side effects and is not effective in reducing the occurrence of acid reflux.

Indexed as

BaclofenGABA-B Receptor AgonistsGastroesophageal RefluxDrug Therapy, CombinationHumansProton Pump InhibitorsTreatment OutcomeBaclofenGABA-B Receptor AgonistsProton Pump Inhibitorsbaclofengastroesophageal reflux diseasemedical treatmentMII-PHrefractory gastroesophageal reflux disease

Identifiers

PMID38869961
PMCPMC12165541

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.