Non-erosive and erosive gastroesophageal reflux diseases: No difference with regard to reflux pattern and motility abnormalities.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate whether gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with mild to moderate erosive esophagitis (ERD) is a more severe disease regarding the amount of acid reflux, motor abnormalities, and the presence/absence of hiatus hernia than non-erosive reflux disease (NERD).

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

The study comprised a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on 313 consecutive subjects referred for endoscopy, pH-metry, and esophageal manometry. The patients were divided into four groups: Group I (n=92), subjects without GERD with normal pH-metry, without esophagitis and without reflux symptoms; Group II (n=111), patients with NERD (no esophagitis, abnormal pH-metry); Group III (n=77), patients with mild to moderate ERD (LA A, B; abnormal pH-metry); Group IV (n=33), patients with severe or complicated esophagitis (LA C, D; Barrett's esophagus). All data are expressed as medians with 5th-95th percentiles.

RESULTS:

No difference was found in the amount of acid reflux between patients with mild to moderate ERD and those with NERD. The DeMeester score was 34.5 (17-105) in NERD patients and 31.6 (15-102) in ERD patients. No significant differences were found between NERD and ERD patients regarding lower esophageal sphincter (LES) basal pressure (11.6 mmHg; 3-25 in NERD versus 10.7 mmHg; 3-22 in ERD). Similar proportions of patients with NERD and ERD had low LES basal pressure (20.7% in NERD versus 24.7% in ERD; NS) and hiatus hernia (44% and 56%; NS). A relatively high proportion of patients without GERD (Group I) had ineffective esophageal motility (39%) and hiatus hernia (30%).

CONCLUSIONS:

No difference was found between NERD and mild to moderate ERD in terms of acid exposure time and esophageal motor abnormalities. To a certain extent, ERD is a "more complicated" form of the disease. Host factors related to a particular patient (e.g. mucosal defense, genetics, acid clearance) might be responsible for the development of esophagitis.

• Authors: Jan Martínek, Marek Benes, Tomás Hucl, Pavel Drastich, Petr Stirand, Julius Spicák
• Journal: Scandinavian journal of gastroenterology (Scand J Gastroenterol) Vol. 43 Issue 7 Pg. 794-800 ( 2008) ISSN: 1502-7708 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18584517 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adult
• Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal
• Esophageal Motility Disorders (complications)
• Esophagitis, Peptic (complications, pathology)
• Esophagus (pathology, physiopathology)
• Female
• Gastroesophageal Reflux (complications, pathology, physiopathology)
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged