Prokinetics for the treatment of functional dyspepsia: an updated systematic review and network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Since the previous network meta-analysis assessing the efficacy of prokinetics for functional dyspepsia (FD), there have been a number of new studies and cinitapride is a new prokinetic agent for FD. This updated meta-analysis aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of prokinetics for FD. METHODS: An updated study search in Pubmed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science was conducted in literatures published from July 2015 to March 2023. Randomized controlled trials investigating the use of prokinetics in adult FD patients were included. The primary outcome was the total efficacy rate and the secondary outcome was adverse events. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed using R software. RESULTS: A total of 28 studies were included. Network meta-analysis showed that metoclopramide had a higher total efficacy rate than mosapride (OR: 3.53, 95%CI: 1.70–7.47), domperidone (OR: 2.29, 95%CI: 1.16–4.63), itopride(OR: 2.77, 95%CI: 1.41–5.59), acotiamide(OR: 2.63, OR: 1.33–5.36), and placebo(OR: 5.68, 95%CI: 2.98–11.10), however similar to cinitapride (OR: 1.62, 95%CI: 0.75–3.53). Cinitapride had a higher total efficacy rate than mosapride (OR: 2.18, 95%CI: 1.16–4.14) and placebo (OR: 3.52, 95%CI: 2.01–6.24). Cinitapride had lower risk of total adverse events than domperidone. There was no difference in the risk of drug-related adverse events between the prokinetics. CONCLUSIONS: Metoclopramide and cinitapride may have a better efficacy than other prokinetics in the treatment of FD, and cinitapride may have a lower risk of total adverse events. Further studies using uniform definitions or validated tools to measure the total efficacy rate are needed. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12876-023-03014-9.