Table 3.

Comparison of the secondary outcomes in the acupuncture group and moxibustion group

Outcomes	Mean score (95% CI)		Moxibustion vs Acupuncture
	Acupuncture group	Moxibustion group	Difference (95%CI)	p value
SFLDQ symptom-specific score
Epigastric pain
Week 4	0.4 (0.214–0.585)	0.718 (0.533–0.902)	0.318 (0.056 to 0.579)	0.017*
Week 8	0.385 (0.2–0.571)	0.489 (0.305–0.673)	0.104 (−0.158 to 0.365)	0.436
Post-prandial fullness
Week 4	1.213 (1.035–1.392)	0.914 (0.737–1.091)	−0.3 (−0.551 to −0.048)	0.020*
Week 8	0.866 (0.687–1.044)	0.757 (0.579–0.934)	−0.109 (−0.36 to 0.143)	0.395
Early satiety
Week 4	0.81 (0.621–0.999)	0.767 (0.58–0.955)	−0.043 (−0.309 to 0.224)	0.753
Week 8	0.752 (0.563–0.941)	0.496 (0.308–0.683)	−0.256 (−0.522 to 0.01)	0.059
Epigastric burning
Week 4	0.235 (0.055–0.415)	0.375 (0.196–0.554)	0.14 (−0.114 to 0.394)	0.279
Week 8	0.235 (0.055–0.415)	0.361 (0.182–0.54)	0.126 (−0.128 to 0.38)	0.331
Nausea
Week 4	0.271 (0.104–0.439)	0.259 (0.093–0.425)	−0.012 (−0.249 to 0.224)	0.918
Week 8	0.329 (0.162–0.497)	0.373 (0.207–0.54)	0.044 (−0.192 to 0.28)	0.714
Belching
Week 4	0.747 (0.566–0.928)	0.706 (0.525–0.886)	−0.041 (−0.297 to 0.214)	0.750
Week 8	0.631 (0.45–0.812)	0.591 (0.411–0.771)	−0.04 (−0.295 to 0.216)	0.760
NDLQI
Week 4	90.84 (89.104–92.577)	91.96 (90.234–93.685)	1.12 (−1.328 to 3.568)	0.369
Week 8	93.261 (91.525–94.997)	94.923 (93.197–96.649)	1.662 (−0.786 to 4.11)	0.183
SAS
Week 4	31.487 (29.733–33.242)	34.38 (32.636–36.124)	2.893 (0.419 to 5.367)	0.022*
Week 8	30.817 (29.062–32.571)	31.276 (29.532–33.02)	0.46 (−2.014 to 2.934)	0.715
SDS
Week 4	34.891 (32.807–36.976)	34.774 (32.7 to 36.847)	−0.118 (−3.058 to 2.822)	0.937
Week 8	32.149 (30.065–34.234)	32.631 (30.557–34.704)	0.482 (−2.459 to 3.422)	0.747

NDLQI Nepean Dyspepsia Life Quality Index, SFLDQ Short-Form Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire, SAS Zung Self-rating Anxiety Scale, SDS Zung Self-rating Depression Scale