Cat Scratch Colon.

Alternative Therapeutic Approaches to Chronic Proton Pump Inhibitor Treatment

Whistler Summary: “The Slow Rate of Rapid Progress”

Persistent Reflux Symptoms in the Proton Pump Inhibitor Era: The Changing Face of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

American Gastroenterological Association Institute Technical Review on the Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Nonresorbable copolymer implantation for gastroesophageal reflux disease: A randomized sham-controlled multicenter trial

Over-Prescription of Acid-Suppressing Medications in Infants: How It Came About, Why It’s Wrong, and What to Do About It

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Describe the epidemiology and pathophysiology of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) in preterm neonates. 2. Delineate the associations of GER with apnea, chronic lung disease, behavior, and growth of preterm infants. 3. Review the investigations used to evaluate GER in preterm infants. 4. Describe nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic therapies for GER. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is a normal physiologic event occurring across the age spectrum. It may contribute to a variety of disorders, including esophagitis, feeding problems, and airway disease in all age groups. (1) A large number of symptoms and signs have been purported to be caused by GER despite a lack of data showing a clear association between a specific symptom and GER. In preterm infants, empiric therapy often is administered using agents of unproven efficacy and safety to treat symptoms that likely are unrelated to GER. In a survey on management practices for GER in preterm infants, common treatment strategies included positioning (98%) and slopes (96%), histamine 2 (H 2) receptor antagonists (100%), feed thickeners (98%), antacids (96%), prokinetics (79%), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (65%), and dopamine receptor antagonists (53%). (2)(3) The safety, efficacy, and appropriate dosing recommendations for most medical therapies remain uncertain in neonates. In this review, we attempt to summarize the current literature regarding physiology, pathophysiology, and diagnostic and management strategies for GER pertinent to the neonate, with an emphasis on the preterm infant. GER describes the retrograde movement of stomach contents (air or feeding, liquid or semisolid, acid or alkaline, enzymes or bile salts) into the esophagus. GER disease (GERD) occurs when GER causes symptoms or signs such as pain, poor weight gain, esophagitis, hematemesis, and airway symptoms, including apnea, aspiration, recurrent pneumonia, chronic lung disease (CLD), or large airway inflammation. However, any of these symptoms or signs …

Gastroesophageal Reflux

Research agenda for pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition: acid-peptic diseases. Report of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition for the Children's Digestive Health and Nutrition Foundation.

White Paper AGA: Optimal Strategies to Define and Diagnose Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Frequency scale symptoms for gastroesophageal reflux disease (Frequency Scale for Symptoms of GERD) predicts need for addition of prokinetics to proton pump inhibitor therapy

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common disorders in medical practice. It is the most common gastrointestinal diagnosis recorded during visits to outpatient clinics in the United States. Apart from the economic burden of the disease and its impact on quality of life, GERD is the most common predisposing factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma [1]. Recently, many important issues have emerged regarding the classification, pathogenesis, natural history, and treatment of GERD. Although use of proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) is the treatment of choice for GERD, approximately, one-third of patients with GERD fail to response symptomatically to a standard-dose proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), either partially or completely [2]. Additionally, most GERD patients need long-term treatment for frequent relapses after discontinuing acid inhibition therapy. This has led to great interest in new endoscopic therapies for the treatment of this disease. With regard to the diagnosis of GERD, patients with refractory reflux symptoms and normal upper endoscopy are more difficult to diagnose and treat. Combined 24-hour pH and impedance monitoring allows classifying the patients as having true nonerosive reflux disease (NERD), hypersensitive esophagus, or functional heartburn and is helpful for further management of the patients [3]. The main focus of this special issue is on recent advances in the treatment of erosive esophagitis, NERD and Barrett's esophagus. In addition, the emerging diagnostic methods, pharmacological treatments, and endoscopic therapies for GERD are also discussed. The paper entitled “The frequencies of gastroesophageal and extragastroesophageal symptoms in patients with mild erosive esophagitis, severe erosive esophagitis, and Barrett's esophagus, in Taiwan” is the first work simultaneously assessing the differences in reflux symptom profiles among the three different categories of GERD. The data showed that the frequencies of some esophageal and extraesophageal symptoms in patients with Los Angeles grade A/B erosive esophagitis were higher than those in patients with Los Angeles grade C/D erosive esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus. In the paper entitled “Current pharmacological management of gastroesophageal reflux disease,” Y.-K. Wang et al. present the current and developing therapeutic agents for GERD treatment. The efficacies of PPIs and potassium-competitive acid blocker in GERD therapy are well reviewed. Additionally, the article summarizes the development of novel therapeutic agents focusing on the underlying mechanisms of GERD. In the paper entitled “Pharmacological therapy of gastroesophageal reflux in preterm infants,” L. Corvaglia et al. review the pathogenesis, presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux in preterm infants. A stepwise approach is advisable for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux in preterm infants, firstly, promoting nonpharmacological interventions and secondly, limiting drugs to selected infants unresponsive to the conservative measures or who are suffering from severe gastroesophageal reflux with clinical complications. In the paper entitled “Stretta radiofrequency treatment for GERD: a safe and effective modality,” M. Franciosa et al. focus on the safety, efficacy, and durability of the Stretta radiofrequency treatment for GERD therapy. The novel endoscopic treatment reduces esophageal acid exposure, decreases the frequency of transient lower esophageal relaxation, decreases medication use and improves quality of life in GERD patients. In the paper entitled “Duodenal tube feeding: an alternative approach for effectively promoting weight gain in children with gastroesophageal reflux and congenital heart disease,” S. Kuwata et al. showed that duodenal tube feeding improves the weight gain of infants with gastroesophageal reflux who need treatment for congenital-heart-disease-associated heart failure. In the paper entitled “Changes in ghrelin-related factors in gastroesophageal reflux disease in rats,” M. Nahata et al. examined gastrointestinal hormone profiles and functional changes in rats with GERD. The results suggest that aberrantly increased secretion of peripheral ghrelin and decreased ghrelin responsiveness may occur in GERD rats. In the paper entitled “Surgical management of pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease,” H. T. Jackson and T. D. Kane review the clinical presentation of GERD in pediatric population and discuss the options for surgical management and outcome in these patients. In the paper entitled “Current advances in the diagnosis and treatment of nonerosive reflux disease,” C. L. Chen and P. I. Hsu, review the literature about the pathogenesis, natural history, diagnosis and treatment of NERD. The authors suggest that a combination of 24-hour esophageal impedance and pH monitoring is indicated to differentiate acid-reflux-related NERD, weakly acid reflux-related NERD (hypersensitive esophagus), nonacid-reflux-related NERD, and functional heartburn in patients with poor response to appropriate PPI treatment. In the paper entitled “Antireflux endoluminal therapies: past and present,” K. C. Yew et al. and S.-K. Chuah review, highlight, and discuss three commonly employed antireflux endoluminal procedures: fundoplication or suturing techniques (EndoCinch, NDO, EsophyX), intramural injection or implant techniques (enhancing LES volume and/or strengthening compliance of the LES-EnteryX, Gatekeeper), and radiofrequency ablation of lower esophageal sphincter and cardia (the Stretta system). Ping-I Hsu Nayoung Kim Khean Lee Goh Deng-Chyang Wu

Getting into a TIF(F) Over Fundoplication

Objective To investigate the characteristics of medicine taking,the type and ratio of long-term medication and treatment satisfaction in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD),to analyze the effects of GERD combined with functional bowel disease (FBD) on the treatment satisfaction,and to compare the changes of type of medication and treatment satisfaction in patients with GERD in recent years.Methods From April to June in 2011,the questionnaire survey was conducted in gastroenterology clinic of People's Hospital of Peking University.The incidence of typical GERD symptoms was investigated by a validated reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ),the score between one and five was considered there might be reflux symptoms and the score over 12 was diagnosed as GERD.FBD was diagnosed according to Rome Ⅲ criteria.The information of GERD related medication taking within one year before the survey,long-term medication taking (≥ 1 year)and the treatment satisfaction of patients whose RDQ score over zero was recorded and compared with the data collected in the same method in 2004.The chi-square test was performed for data statistical analyses with SPSS 17.0 software.Results Among 1074 patients who completed questionnaire survey in 2011,the percentage of patients with reflux symptoms was 32.7％ (351/1074),the percentage of diagnosed GERD was 10.0％ (107/1074),and GERD combined with FBD was 25.2％ (27/107) of GERD.A total of 304 cases (86.6％) of patients with reflux symptoms had information of medication taking; 78.0％ (237/304) of whom had taken GERD related medication within one year before the survey.The rate of GERD related medication taking especially proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and antiacid medication taking increased along with RDQ score (x2 =24.2,13.1 and 18.2,all P＜0.05).A total of 104 cases of GERD patients had information of medication taking; 88.5 ％ (92/104) GERD patients had taken GERD related medication within one year before the survey,52.9％ (55/104) GERD patients had taken PPI medication,30.8％ (32/104) needed long-term medication and 20.2％ (21/104) needed longterm PPI treatment.There was no significant difference in treatment satisfaction between different RDQ score ranges (x2 =3.3,P＞0.05).Among GERD patients who appraised the effects of treatment,the percentage of satisfied,acceptable and not satified with the treatment was 37.1％(26/70),48.6％ (34/70)and 14.3％(10/70),respectively.There was no significant difference in treatment satisfation between GERD with and without FBD (x2 =3.1,P＞0.05).In 2011,the rates of medication taking (88.5％,92/104) and PPI taking (52.9％,55/104) in GERD patients significantly increased compared with those in 2004 (57.3％,98/171; 7.6％,13/171,x2 =29.4,71.4,both P＜0.05).The percentage of treatment satisfaction in 2011(37.1％,26/70) increased compared with that in 2004(25.7％,18/70,x2 =12.8,P＜0.01).Conclusions Some of patients with GERD symptoms need long-term medication,especially PPI treatment.In recent years,the rate of medication taking in GERD patients increased in outpatients department,PPI taking significantly increased and the treatment satisfaction also increased.Maybe the treatment satisfaction is not affected by GERD combined with FBD. Key words: Gastroesphageal reflux; Intestinal disease; Administration, oral; Patient satisfaction

Balancing the Risks and Benefits of Proton Pump Inhibitors