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This work was supported by grant from the University CEU Cardenal Herrera (convocatoria de Proyectos en Consolidacion CEU-Banco Santander 2017-2018). CIBERobn is an initiative of ISCIII.

Analysis of institutional authors

Martínez-Hurtado I.AuthorArguisuelas M.d.AuthorBarrasa-Shaw AAuthorLison J.f.Corresponding Author

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May 17, 2019
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Article

Effects of diaphragmatic myofascial release on gastroesophageal reflux disease: a preliminary randomized controlled trial

Publicated to:Scientific Reports. 9 (1): 7273-7273 - 2019-12-01 9(1), DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-43799-y

Authors: Martinez-Hurtado, I; Arguisuelas, M D; Almela-Notari, P; Cortes, X; Barrasa-Shaw, A; Campos-Gonzalez, J C; Lison, J F

Affiliations

CB06 03 Carlos III Hlth Inst, CIBER Physiopathol Obes & Nutr CIBERobn, Madrid, Spain - Author
CEU Univ, Univ Cardenal Herrera CEU, Dept Med, Valencia, Spain - Author
CEU Univ, Univ Cardenal Herrera CEU, Dept Physiotherapy, Valencia, Spain - Author
CEU Univ, Univ Cardenal Herrera CEU, Dept Surg, Valencia, Spain - Author
CIBER of Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition CIBERobn, CB06/03 Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain - Author
Department of Gastroenterology, Hospital General de Castellón, Castellón, Spain - Author
Department of Medicine, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain - Author
Department of Physiotherapy, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain - Author
Department of Surgery, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, Valencia, Spain - Author
Digestive Disease Department, Hospital of Sagunto, Valencia, Spain - Author
Hosp Arnau Vilanova, Valencia, Spain - Author
Hosp Gen Castellon, Dept Gastroenterol, Castellon de La Plana, Spain - Author
Hosp Sagunto, Digest Dis Dept, Valencia, Spain - Author
Hosp Vithas Nisa Virgen Consuelo & 9 Octubre, Valencia, Spain - Author
Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Valencia, Spain - Author
Hospitales Vithas Nisa Virgen del Consuelo & 9 de Octubre, Valencia, Spain - Author
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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether implementing a myofascial release (MFR) protocol designed to restore the myofascial properties of the diaphragm has any effect on the symptoms, quality of life, and consumption of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) drugs by patients with non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We randomized 30 patients with GERD into a MFR group or a sham group. Changes in symptomatology and quality of life were measured with the Reflux Disease Questionnaire and the Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index. Need of PPIs was measured as the milligrams of drug intake over the 7 days prior to each assessment. All variables were assessed at baseline, one week and 4 weeks after the end of the treatment. At week 4, patients receiving MFR showed significant improvements in symptomatology (mean difference-1.1; 95% CI: -1.7 to -0.5), gastrointestinal quality of life (mean difference 18.1; 95% CI: 4.8 to 31.5), and PPIs use (mean difference-97 mg; 95% CI: -162 to -32), compared to the sham group. These preliminary findings indicate that the application of the MFR protocol we used in this study decreased the symptoms and PPIs usage and increased the quality of life of patients with non-erosive GERD up to four weeks after the end of the treatment.

Keywords

AnatomyDiaphragmEsophageal sphincter pressureExerciseFemaleFisioterapia. teseoGastroesophageal refluxHumansIncreaseMaleMassageProton pump inhibitorsQuality of lifeSurveys and questionnairesTreatment outcomeValidation

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Scientific Reports due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2019, it was in position 17/71, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Multidisciplinary Sciences.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from the Field Citation Ratio (FCR) of the Dimensions source, it yields a value of: 2.56, which indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: Dimensions Aug 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2025-08-02, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 6
  • Scopus: 8
  • Europe PMC: 3
  • Google Scholar: 18

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-08-02:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 180.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 190 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 24.1.
  • The number of mentions on the social network Facebook: 2 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 6 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions on Wikipedia: 1 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions in news outlets: 2 (Altmetric).

It is essential to present evidence supporting full alignment with institutional principles and guidelines on Open Science and the Conservation and Dissemination of Intellectual Heritage. A clear example of this is:

  • The work has been submitted to a journal whose editorial policy allows open Open Access publication.

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Martínez Hurtado, Isabel) and Last Author (Lison Parraga, Juan Francisco).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Lison Parraga, Juan Francisco.