Outcome of nonerosive gastro-esophageal reflux disease patients with pathological acid exposure

AIM: To assess the management and outcome of nonerosive gastro-esophageal reflux disease (NERD) patients who were identified retrospectively, after a 5-year follow-up.METHODS: We included patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms who had a negative endoscopy result and pathological 24-h esophageal pH-monitoring while off therapy. We interviewed them after an average period of 5 years (range 3.5-7 years) by means of a structured questionnaire to assess presence of GERD symptoms, related therapy, updated en-doscopic data and other features. We assessed predictors of esophagitis development by means of univariate and multivariate statistical analysis.RESULTS: 260 patients (137 women) were included. Predominant GERD symptoms were heartburn andregurgitation in 103/260 (40%). 70% received a maintenance treatment, which was proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in 55% of cases. An average number of 1.5 symptomatic relapses per patient/year of follow-up were observed. A progression to erosive gastro-esophageal reflux disease (ERD) was found in 58/193 (30.0%) of patients undergoing repeat endoscopy; 72% of these were Los Angeles grade A-B. CONCLUSION: This study shows that progression to ERD occurs in about 5% of NERD cases per year, despite therapy. Only two factors consistently and independently influence progression: smoking and absence of PPI therapy.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease management according to contemporary international guidelines:A translational study

AIM:To test the Genval recommendations and the usefulness of a short trial of proton pump inhibitor(PPI) in the initial management and maintenance treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)patients. METHODS:Five hundred and seventy seven patients with heartburn were recruited.After completing a psychometric tool to assess quality of life(PGWBI)and a previously validated GERD symptom questionnaire (QUID),patients were grouped into those with esophagitis(EE,n=306)or without mucosal damage (NERD,n=271)according to endoscopy results. The study started with a 2-wk period of high dose omeprazole(omeprazole test);patients responding to this PPI test entered an acute phase(3 mo)of treatment with any PPI at the standard dose.Finally,those patients with a favorable response to the standard PPI dose were maintained on a half PPI dose for a further 3-mo period. RESULTS:The test was positive in 519(89.9%)patients,with a greater response in EE patients(96.4%) compared with NERD patients(82.6%)(P=0.011). Both the percentage of completely asymptomatic patients,at 3 and 6 mo,and the reduction in heartburn intensity were significantly higher in the EE compared with NERD patients(P<0.01).Finally,the mean PGWBI score was significantly decreased before and increased after therapy in both subgroups when compared with the mean value in a reference Italian population. CONCLUSION:Our study confirms the validity of the Genval guidelines in the management of GERD patients. In addition,we observed that the overall response to PPI therapy is lower in NERD compared to EE patients.

Heterogeneity of endoscopy negative heartburn:Epidemiology and natural history

It has now become clear that only about 40% or less of patients with heartburn and/or regurgitation have esophagitis, and that the majority of them lack visible distal esophageal mucosa breaks. These subjects are referred to as non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (NERD) patients. It has been estimated that in the Western world at least one tenth of the general population has at least weekly heartburn. This proportion seems to be lower in Asia, while prevalence is rapidly increasing. Although it would be extremely useful to have prospective information regarding the fate of such patients, the natural history of NERD is largely unknown, and very few studies in the literature have addressed this issue. These studies are for the greater part old, not well conducted, and suffer from methodological drawbacks including ill-defined entry criteria. However, a review of these studies indicates that a consistent minority of NERD patients may develop erosive disease at an approximate rate of about 10% per year.

Microbiota-gut-brain axis and its affect inflammatory bowel disease:Pathophysiological concepts and insights for clinicians

Despite the bi-directional interaction between gut microbiota and the brain not being fully understood,there is increasing evidence arising from animal and human studies that show how this intricate relationship may facilitate inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)pathogenesis,with consequent important implications on the possibility to improve the clinical outcomes of the diseases themselves,by acting on the different components of this system,mainly by modifying the microbiota.With the emergence of precision medicine,strategies in which patients with IBD might be categorized other than for standard gut symptom complexes could offer the opportunity to tailor therapies to individual patients.The aim of this narrative review is to elaborate on the concept of the gutbrain-microbiota axis and its clinical significance regarding IBD on the basis of recent scientific literature,and finally to focus on pharmacological therapies that could allow us to favorably modify the function of this complex system.

Influence of capsaicin infusion on secondary peristalsis in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

AIM To determine whether capsaicin infusion could influence heartburn perception and secondary peristalsis in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD). METHODS Secondary peristalsis was performed with slow and rapid mid-esophageal injections of air in 10 patients with GERD. In a first protocol, saline and capsaicincontaining red pepper sauce infusions were randomly performed, whereas 2 consecutive sessions of capsaicin-containing red pepper sauce infusions were performed in a second protocol. Tested solutions including 5 m L of red pepper sauce diluted with 15 m L of saline and 20 m L of 0.9% saline were infused into the mid-esophagus via the manometric catheter at a rate of 10 mL /min with a randomized and doubleblind fashion. During each study protocol, perception of heartburn, threshold volumes and peristaltic parameters for secondary peristalsis were analyzed and compared between different stimuli.RESULTS Infusion of capsaicin significantly increased heartburn perception in patients with GERD(P < 0.001), whereas repeated capsaicin infusion significantly reduced heartburn perception(P = 0.003). Acute capsaicin infusion decreased threshold volume of secondary peristalsis(P = 0.001) and increased its frequency(P = 0.01) during rapid air injection. The prevalence of GERD patients with successive secondary peristalsis during slow air injection significantly increased after capsaicin infusion(P = 0.001). Repeated capsaicin infusion increased threshold volume of secondary peristalsis(P = 0.002) and reduced the frequency of secondary peristalsis(P = 0.02) during rapid air injection. CONCLUSION Acute esophageal exposure to capsaicin enhances heartburn sensation and promotes secondary peristalsis in gastroesophageal reflux disease, but repetitive capsaicin infusion reverses these effects.

An uncommon cause of corrosive esophageal injury

We present an unusual case of corrosive esophageal injury following liquid glue ingestion. The endoscopic f indings were tissue sloughing and blackened appearance of the esophagogastric junction,due to caustic esophageal injuries following ingestion of glue containing toluene.

Family history of irritable bowel syndrome is the major determinant of persistent abdominal complaints in young adults with a history of pediatric recurrent abdominal pain

瞄准：与周期性的腹的疼痛(敲击) 或急躁的肠症候群(IBS ) 的以前的历史估计少年的迟了的结果。方法：有敲击的一组 67 个孩子从 1986 年 1 月指了部门到 1995 年 12 月被跟随在上面在 5 和 13 之间，在借助于一个结构化的电话的起始的诊断以后的年会见。我们假设了有坚持的成年象 IBS 一样症状的那些病人将是显著地更可能没有坚持的腹的抱怨与成年人比较报导 IBS 的家庭历史。结果：从 52 轨道有能力的题目， 15 被发现在后续(29%) 介绍象 IBS 一样症状而多数(37 个题目) 不。有象 IBS 一样症状的题目更多半是几乎三次与不抱怨的题目(40.0% 对 16.0%) 相比与类似的症状介绍至少一个兄弟，分别地(P 【 0.05 在学生 t ) 。有象 IBS 一样症状的题目也报导了额外肠的症状的更高的流行，例如背疼痛， fibromyalgia，头疼，疲劳和睡觉骚乱。结论：学习证实显示那小儿科的敲击的以前的观察能预言 IBS 的以后的开发。后者看起来被症状的 intrafamilial 聚集极大地影响，可能通过听说特定的病行为。