When symptoms are more than reflux.

Abstract

45 year-old male patient with history of heartburn and regurgitation of non-acid food in the immediate postprandial period, with no symptomatic improvement after anti-acid treatment. The patient underwent an upper endoscopy that was unremarkable. A high-resolution impedance manometry (HRIM) was performed according to Chicago Protocol 4.0, as well as an additional solid test meal, with findings of rumination syndrome (RS) (figure 1). The study was completed with a 24-hour impedance pH monitoring that showed, in the immediate postprandial period, episodes of reflux that reached the proximal sensor followed by a normal swallow (figure 2). Abdominophrenic biofeedback was started with clinical improvement and anti-acid treatment was maintained at once a day. Discussion: RS is diagnosed by a complete clinical history, using the Rome IV or DSM-5 criteria (figure 3). Due to lack of knowledge of the disease and the fact that regurgitation can be present in other conditions including gastroesophageal reflux disease and achalasia, most patients undergo multiple tests and visit several physicians before reaching the diagnosis1. The gold standard investigation for RS, in cases where there are diagnostic doubts, is HRIM with solid meal administration, that shows a sudden increase in intragastric pressure > 30 mmHg concurrent with a drop in impedance and both simultaneous lower and upper esophageal sphincter relaxation, that may or may not be followed by re-swallowing food2. Rumination episodes can appear spontaneously (type 1) or may be preceded by a reflux episode (type 2) or a supragastric belch (type 3)3. 24-hour impedance pH monitoring cannot confirm de diagnosis, but during rumination, in the majority of episodes, the refluxed material reaches the proximal esophagus2.