Project description:If there are no features of serious disease, suspected gastro-oesophageal reflux disease can be initially managed with a trial of a proton pump inhibitor for 4-8 weeks. This should be taken 30-60 minutes before food for optimal effect. Once symptoms are controlled, attempt to withdraw acid suppression therapy. If symptoms recur, use the minimum dose that controls symptoms. Patients who have severe erosive oesophagitis, scleroderma oesophagus or Barrett's oesophagus require long-term treatment with a proton pump inhibitor. Lifestyle modification strategies can help gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Weight loss has the strongest evidence for efficacy. Further investigation and a specialist referral are required if there is no response to proton pump inhibitor therapy. Atypical symptoms or signs of serious disease also need investigation.
Project description:A systematic review of the epidemiology of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) has been performed, applying strict criteria for quality of studies and the disease definition used. The prevalence and incidence of GORD was estimated from 15 studies which defined GORD as at least weekly heartburn and/or acid regurgitation and met criteria concerning sample size, response rate, and recall period. Data on factors associated with GORD were also evaluated. An approximate prevalence of 10-20% was identified for GORD, defined by at least weekly heartburn and/or acid regurgitation in the Western world while in Asia this was lower, at less than 5%. The incidence in the Western world was approximately 5 per 1000 person years. A number of potential risk factors (for example, an immediate family history and obesity) and comorbidities (for example, respiratory diseases and chest pain) associated with GORD were identified. Data reported in this systematic review can be interpreted with confidence as reflecting the epidemiology of "true" GORD. The disease is more common in the Western world than in Asia, and the low rate of incidence relative to prevalence reflects its chronicity. The small number of studies eligible for inclusion in this review highlights the need for global consensus on a symptom based definition of GORD.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Atropine reduces the rate of reflux episodes in normal subjects by inhibition of transient lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS) relaxations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of atropine on the rate and mechanisms of reflux in patients with reflux disease. METHODS: Oesophageal motility and pH were recorded for one hour after a meal in 15 patients with reflux disease. On separate days, atropine (15 micrograms/kg bolus intravenously, 4 micrograms/kg/h infusion) or saline were given and maintained for the recording period. RESULTS: Atropine significantly reduced basal LOS pressure from 7.1 (2.2) to 2.9 (1.3) mm Hg (mean (SEM)). Atropine also reduced the rate of reflux episodes from 5.0 (2.0-8.75) to 1.0 (0-6.25) per hour (median (interquartile range)) largely because of a decrease in the rate of transient LOS relaxations from 2.0 (0-4.75) to 0 (0-0) per hour and abolition of reflux during swallow induced LOS relaxation. There was no change in the rate of reflux episodes because of absent basal LOS pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Atropine inhibits reflux in patients with reflux disease largely by inhibition of transient LOS relaxations and swallow induced LOS relaxation. These findings suggest that pharmacological control of reflux through control of transient LOS relaxations is possible in patients with reflux disease.
Project description:AIMS: To study the epidemiology and natural history of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). METHODS: Retrospective cohort study involving all 172 hospitals of the Department of Veterans Affairs. A total of 194,527 patients with GORD were followed between 1981 and 1994. Distribution of oesophagitis, oesophageal ulcer, oesophageal stricture, strictured hiatus hernia, hiatus hernia, and pyrosis by age, sex, and ethnicity were determined. The comorbid occurrence of various forms of GORD in identical patients was analysed by an age and race standardised morbidity ratio. The population of all hospitalised veterans was used for comparison. RESULTS: Severe forms of GORD associated with oesophageal erosions, ulcers, or strictures, affected elderly, white, male patients more often than their corresponding opposite demographic group. All forms of GORD clustered in the same patient population; on average, any form of GORD was 10 times more likely to occur in a patient with another form of GORD than without. The highest morbidity ratio (22) was found in oesophageal ulcer and stricture. About one third of all patients with oesophageal erosions, ulcers, or strictures also had hiatus hernia; 46% of patients with hiatus hernia were diagnosed as having other forms of GORD. While one third of all oesophageal strictures appeared in patients without other forms of GORD diagnosed at any time, oesophageal ulcers were always associated with some other form of GORD. No clear cut progression in different forms of GORD was found. CONCLUSIONS: Older age, male sex, and white ethnicity are risk factors in the development of severe forms of GORD. The most severe grade of GORD is reached at the onset of the disease.
Project description:Background and aimsGastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) has been linked to a number of extra-esophageal symptoms and disorders, primarily in the respiratory tract. This systematic review aimed to provide an estimate of the strength and direction of the association between GORD and asthma.MethodsStudies that assessed the prevalence or incidence of GORD in individuals with asthma, or of asthma in individuals with GORD, were identified in Medline and EMBASE via a systematic search strategy.ResultsTwenty-eight studies met the selection criteria. The sample size weighted average prevalence of GORD symptoms in asthma patients was 59.2%, whereas in controls it was 38.1%. In patients with asthma, the average prevalence of abnormal oesophageal pH, oesophagitis and hiatal hernia was 50.9%, 37.3% and 51.2%, respectively. The average prevalence of asthma in individuals with GORD was 4.6%, whereas in controls it was 3.9%. Pooling the odds ratios gave an overall ratio of 5.5 (95% CI 1.9-15.8) for studies reporting the prevalence of GORD symptoms in individuals with asthma, and 2.3 (95% CI 1.8-2.8) for those studies measuring the prevalence of asthma in GORD. One longitudinal study showed a significant association between a diagnosis of asthma and a subsequent diagnosis of GORD (relative risk 1.5; 95% CI 1.2-1.8), whereas the two studies that assessed whether GORD precedes asthma gave inconsistent results. The severity-response relationship was examined in only nine studies, with inconsistent findings.ConclusionsThis systematic review indicates that there is a significant association between GORD and asthma, but a paucity of data on the direction of causality.
Project description:ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of treatment for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) on chronic cough in children and adults without an underlying respiratory disease.DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis.Data sourcesCochrane, Medline, and Embase databases, references from review articles.Included studiesRandomised controlled trials on GORD treatment for cough in children and adults without primary lung disease. Two reviewers independently selected studies and extracted paediatric and adult data on primary (clinical failure) and secondary outcomes.Results11 studies were included. Meta-analysis was limited to five studies in adults that compared proton pump inhibitors with placebo. All outcomes favoured proton pump inhibitors: the odds ratio for clinical failure (primary outcome) was 0.24 (95% confidence interval 0.04 to 1.27); number needed to treat (NNT) was 5 (harm 50 to infinity to benefit 2.5). For secondary outcomes, the standardised mean difference between proton pump inhibitors and placebo was -0.51 (-1.02 to 0.01) for mean cough score at the end of the trial and -0.29 (-0.62 to 0.04) for change in cough score at the end of the trial. Subgroup analysis with generic inverse variance analysis showed a significant mean change in cough (-0.41 SD units, -0.75 to -0.07).ConclusionUse of a proton pump inhibitor to treat cough associated with GORD has some effect in some adults. The effect, however, is less universal than suggested in consensus guidelines on chronic cough and its magnitude of effect is uncertain.
Project description:BACKGROUND: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) symptoms are common in asthma and have been extensively studied, but less so in the Asian continent. Reflux-associated respiratory symptoms (RARS) have, in contrast, been little-studied globally. We report the prevalence of GORD symptoms and RARS in adult asthmatics, and their association with asthma severity and medication use. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study. A validated interviewer-administered GORD scale was used to assess frequency and severity of seven GORD symptoms. Subjects were consecutive asthmatics attending medical clinics. Controls were matched subjects without respiratory symptoms. RESULTS: The mean (SD) composite GORD symptom score of asthmatics was significantly higher than controls (21.8 (17.2) versus 12.0 (7.6); P < 0.001) as was frequency of each symptom and RARS. Prevalence of GORD symptoms in asthmatics was 59.4% (95% CI, 59.1%-59.6%) versus 28.5% in controls (95% CI, 29.0% - 29.4%). 36% of asthmatics experienced respiratory symptoms in association with both typical and atypical GORD symptoms, compared to 10% of controls (P < 0.001). An asthmatic had a 3.5 times higher risk of experiencing a GORD symptom after adjusting for confounders (OR 3.5; 95% CI 2.5-5.3). Severity of asthma had a strong dose-response relationship with GORD symptoms. Asthma medication use did not significantly influence the presence of GORD symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: GORD symptoms and RARS were more prevalent in a cohort of Sri Lankan adult asthmatics compared to non-asthmatics. Increased prevalence of RARS is associated with both typical and atypical symptoms of GORD. Asthma disease and its severity, but not asthma medication, appear to influence presence of GORD symptoms.
Project description:AIMS: To compare oesophageal motor responses to gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) in 16 healthy controls (group 1) and 25 reflux patients, 15 without (group 2) and 10 with (group 3) oesophagitis. METHODS: All subjects underwent 24 hour ambulatory oesophageal pH measurements (5 cm above the lower oesophageal sphincter (LOS)) combined with pressure monitoring (5, 10, and 15 cm above the LOS for oesophageal body motility and 27 cm above the LOS for voluntary swallow detection). Contraction patterns (peristaltic, simultaneous, isolated, mixed type, and non-transmitted swallows) and peristaltic contraction wave characteristics (amplitude, duration, and velocity) during GOR were compared in the three groups. RESULTS: The average number of motor activities per minute was significantly higher in group 1 (p < 0.05). In all groups, the most common motor contraction pattern was peristaltic. The percentage of peristaltic activity per subject was significantly higher in group 1 (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in other contraction patterns among the three groups (p > 0.05). Of the peristaltic contraction wave characteristics there were no significant differences in any parameters (amplitude, duration, and velocity) among the three groups (p > 0.05). The average pH increment in response to motor activities was significantly higher in group 1 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Motor responses to GOR were found to be predominantly primary peristaltic in all groups. During GOR, reflux patients have less frequent activity, a smaller proportion of activity is peristaltic, and the average pH increment in response to motor activities is reduced compared with controls.
Project description:Objectives To determine the incidence and prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) diagnosis and treatment in children with neurological impairment (NI) along with relationship to key variables. Design This is a population-based retrospective cohort study. Setting This study takes place in Alberta, Canada. Patients Children with NI were identified by hospital-based International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes from 2006 to 2018. Main outcome measures Incidence and prevalence of a GERD diagnosis identified by: (1) hospital-based ICD-10 codes; (2) specialist claims; (3) dispensation of acid-suppressing medication (ASM). Age, gender, complex chronic conditions (CCC) and technology assistance were covariates. Results Among 10 309 children with NI, 2772 (26.9%) met the GERD definition. The unadjusted incidence rate was 52.1 per 1000 person-years (50.2–54.1). Increasing numbers of CCCs were associated with a higher risk of GERD. The HR for GERD associated with a gastrostomy tube was 4.56 (95% CI 4.15 to 5.00). Overall, 2486 (24.1%) of the children were treated with ASMs of which 1535 (61.7%) met no other GERD criteria. The incidence rate was 16.9 dispensations per year (95% CI 16.73 to 17.07). The prevalence of gastrojejunostomy tubes was 1.1% (n=121), surgical jejunostomy tubes was 0.7% (n=79) and fundoplication was 3.4% (n=351). Conclusions The incidence of GERD in children with NI greatly exceeds that of the general paediatric population. Similarly, incidence rate of medication dispensations was closer to the rates seen in adults particularly in children with multiple CCCs and gastrostomy tubes. Further research is needed to determine the appropriate use of ASMs balancing the potential for adverse effects in this population.