Diagnosis Of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Research Articles

Overlapping approach Proton Pump Inhibitors/Nux vomica-Heel as new intervention for gastro-esophageal reflux management: Delphi consensus study

BACKGROUND Gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) may affect the upper digestive tract; up to 20% of population in Western nations are affected by GERD. Antacids, histamine H2-receptor antagonists, and Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) are considered the referring medications for GERD. Nevertheless, PPIs must be managed carefully because their use, especially chronic, could be linked with some adverse effects. An effective and safe alternative pharmacological tool for GERD is needed. After the identification of potentially new medications to flank PPIs, it is mandatory to revise and improve good clinical practices even through a consensus process. AIM To optimize diagnosis and treatment guidelines for GERD through a consensus based on Delphi method. METHODS The availability of clinical studies describing the action of the multicomponent/multitarget medication Nux vomica-Heel, subject of the consensus, is the basic prerequisite for the consensus itself. A modified Delphi process was used to reach a consensus among a panel of Italian GERD specialists on the overlapping approach PPIs/Nux vomica-Heel as a new intervention model for the management of GERD. The Voting Consensus group was composed of 49 Italian Medical Doctors with different specializations: Gastroenterology, otolaryngology, geriatrics, and general medicine. A scientific committee analyzed the literature, determined areas that required investigation (in agreement with the multiple-choice questionnaire results), and identified two topics of interest: (1) GERD disease; and (2) GERD treatment. Statements for each of these topics were then formulated and validated. The Delphi process involved two rounds of questioning submitted to the panel experts using an online platform. RESULTS According to their routinary GERD practice and current clinical evidence, the panel members provided feedback to each questionnaire statement. The experts evaluated 15 statements and reached consensus on all 15. The statements regarding the GERD disease showed high levels of agreement, with consensus ranging from 70% to 92%. The statements regarding the GERD treatment also showed very high levels of agreement, with consensus ranging from 90% to 100%. This Delphi process was able to reach consensus among physicians in relevant aspects of GERD management, such as the adoption of a new approach to treat patients with GERD based on the overlapping between PPIs and Nux vomica-Heel. The consensus was unanimous among the physicians with different specializations, underlying the uniqueness of the agreement reached to identify in the overlapping approach between PPIs and Nux vomica-Heel a new intervention model for GERD management. The results support that an effective approach to deprescribe PPIs through a progressive decalage timetable (reducing PPIs administration to as-needed use), should be considered. CONCLUSION Nux vomica-Heel appears to be a valid opportunity for GERD treatment to favor the deprescription of PPIs and to maintain low disease activity together with the symptomatology remission.

Mucosal impedance as a diagnostic tool for gastroesophageal reflux disease: an update for clinicians.

Mucosal impedance is a marker of esophageal mucosal integrity and a novel technique for assessing esophageal function and pathology. This article highlights its development and clinical application for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's esophagus, and eosinophilic esophagitis. A narrative review of key publications describing the development and use of mucosal impedance in clinical practice was conducted. A low mean nocturnal baseline impedance (MNBI) has been shown to be an independent predictor of response to anti-reflux therapy. MNBI predicts medication-responsive heartburn better than distal esophageal acid exposure time. Patients with equivocal evidence of GERD using conventional methods, with a low MNBI, had an improvement in symptoms following the initiation of PPI therapy compared to those with a normal MNBI. A similar trend was seen in a post fundoplication cohort. Strong clinical utility for the use of mucosal impedance in assessing eosinophilic esophagitis has been repeatedly demonstrated; however, there is minimal direction for application in Barrett's esophagus. The authors conclude that mucosal impedance has potential clinical utility for the assessment and diagnosis of GERD, particularly when conventional investigations have yielded equivocal results.

Chinese expert consensus on diagnosis and management of gastroesophageal reflux disease in the elderly (2023).

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the elderly is characterized by atypical symptoms, relatively severe esophageal injury, and more complications, and when GERD is treated, it is also necessary to fully consider the general health condition of the elderly patients. This consensus summarized the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis and treatment characteristics of GERD in the elderly, and provided relevant recommendations, providing guidance for medical personnel to correctly understand and standardize the diagnosis and treatment of GERD in the elderly.

The Milan score: A novel manometric tool for a more efficient diagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux disease.

A definitive diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) depends on endoscopic and/or pH-study criteria. However, high resolution manometry (HRM) can identify factors predicting GERD, such as ineffective esophageal motility (IEM), esophago-gastric junction contractile integral (EGJ-CI), evaluating esophagogastric junction (EGJ) type and straight leg raise (SLR) maneuver response. We aimed to build and externally validate a manometric score (Milan Score) to stratify the risk and severity of the disease in patients undergoing HRM for suspected GERD. A population of 295 consecutive patients undergoing HRM and pH-study for persistent typical or atypical GERD symptoms was prospectively enrolled to build a model and a nomogram that provides a risk score for AET>6%. Collected HRM data included IEM, EGJ-CI, EGJ type and SLR. A supplemental cohort of patients undergoing HRM and pH-study was also prospectively enrolled in 13 high-volume esophageal function laboratories across the world in order to validate the model. Discrimination and calibration were used to assess model's accuracy. Gastroesophageal reflux disease was defined as acid exposure time >6%. Out of the analyzed variables, SLR response and EGJ subtype 3 had the highest impact on the score (odd ratio 18.20 and 3.87, respectively). The external validation cohort consisted of 233 patients. In the validation model, the corrected Harrel c-index was 0.90. The model-fitting optimism adjusted calibration slope was 0.93 and the integrated calibration index was 0.07, indicating good calibration. A novel HRM score for GERD diagnosis has been created and validated. The MS might be a useful screening tool to stratify the risk and the severity of GERD, allowing a more comprehensive pathophysiologic assessment of the anti-reflux barrier. ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT05851482).

Epidemiology of functional dyspepsia and gastroparesis as diagnosed in Flemish-Belgian primary care: A registry-based study from the Intego database.

Dyspepsia is a prevalent condition in the general population. Besides organic causes, the differential diagnosis of dyspepsia includes functional dyspepsia (FD) and gastroparesis (GP) which share similar pathophysiological mechanisms and clinical presentation. So far, no study investigated the prevalence of FD and GP in a primary care in Belgium. Data were obtained from Intego, a Flemish-Belgian general practice-based morbidity registration network. From 586,164 patients between 2000 and 2021, we selected patients with ICD-10 code for FD and GP. Patients with organic gastrointestinal diseases were excluded. We determined demographics and comorbidities of FD/GP. For prevalence and incidence calculation, we included those who consulted their general practitioners at least once in the given year. Pair-wise comparison was conducted to access the impact of comorbidities on risk of FD/GP. Between 2011 and 2021, the prevalence of FD/GP ranged from 1.03% to 1.21%. The incidence of FD/GP ranged from 109 to 142 per 100,000 adults. In total 5242 cases of FD/GP were identified. These cases shared commonly coexisting diagnoses of gastroesophageal reflux disease (18.8%), irritable bowel syndrome (17.1%), and chronic constipation (18.7%). Patients with somatization/anxiety/depression had significantly higher risk of FD/GP, compared to the control (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.19-1.61, p < 0.01). The prevalence (1.03%-1.21%) and incidence (109-142/100,000) of FD/GP in primary care over last decade appear to conflict with epidemiological research in the general population. The discrepancies suggest a potential lack of awareness of FD and GP among physicians and/or patients in Flemish-Belgium.

Applying Lyon consensus criteria in the work-up of patients with extra-oesophageal symptoms - A multicentre retrospective study.

The diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) based on otolaryngologist's assessment of laryngoscopic findings remains contentious in terms of sensitivity and specificity. To evaluate GERD prevalence, applying Lyon 2.0 Consensus criteria, in patients with extra-oesophageal symptoms undergoing laryngoscopic examination and impedance-pH monitoring. In this retrospective assessment, we included 470 patients with extra-oesophageal symptoms, either isolated or combined with typical symptoms, who had been referred to six tertiary Italian Gastroenterology Units between January and December 2020. Of these, 274 underwent 24-h impedance-pH monitoring and laryngoscopy off PPI therapy. GERD diagnosis followed Lyon Consensus 2.0 criteria, incorporating mean nocturnal baseline impedance when pH-impedance monitoring was inconclusive. Laryngoscopic examination revealed pathological findings (predominantly posterior laryngitis) in 71.2% (195/274). GERD was diagnosed in 29.2% (80/274) via impedance-pH monitoring. The prevalence of GERD in patients with positive or negative laryngoscopy was similar (32.3% vs. 21.5%, p = 0.075). No significant difference in proximal reflux occurrences was noted between positive and negative laryngoscopy groups (33.3% vs. 24.1%, p = 0.133). Laryngoscopy demonstrated sensitivity and specificity of 78.8% and 32.0%, respectively, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 32.3% and negative predictive value (NPV) of 28.4%. In contrast, a threshold of four concurrent laryngoscopic signs, identified in only eight patients, demonstrated a PPV of 93.8% and a NPV of 73.6% (sensitivity 25.4%, specificity 99.2%). This study underscores the limited diagnostic accuracy of laryngoscopy, emphasising the necessity of impedance-pH monitoring for confirming GERD diagnoses using Lyon 2.0 criteria in patients with suspected extra-oesophageal symptoms.

A Systematic Review of Clinical Guidelines for the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition among adults and children. The estimated prevalence ranges from 8 to 33%, and the numbers are only expected to increase over time. Heartburn and regurgitation are considered classic symptoms of the disease, but it can also present with a variety of atypical, extra-esophageal manifestations, which reduces patients’ quality of life and leads to Under-Diagnosis. Treatment in adults involves a combination of lifestyle modification with pharmacologic, endoscopic, or surgical interventions. Scientific societies from Europe, America, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Central Asia have proposed guidelines based on current understanding of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The review article presents an analysis of treatment regimens from ten different world guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of GERD, which revealed in most cases similar algorithms of patient management. Some differences in medication approaches are revealed, which is probably due to the different level of health care in each country. Differences in lifestyle modification were considered in the sphere of identified new scenarios of GERD pathogenesis.

Does the American Foregut Society Endoscopic Classification of Esophago-gastric Junction Integrity Predict Acid Reflux and Esophago-gastric Junction Disruption?

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is usually associated with disruption of the esophagogastric junction (EGJ). The endoscopic Hill classification has proven to be inadequate to assess EGJ integrity. Recently, the American Foregut Society (AFS) developed an endoscopic classification focused on hiatal hernia (L), hiatal opening (D), and the flap valve (F). While pH-monitoring remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of GERD, high-resolution manometry (HRM) can assess EGJ anatomy and competency. Aim of this study is to validate the AFS classification in patients with suspected GERD assessing its accuracy in predicting EGJ disruption and pathologic reflux. Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients with suspected GERD who underwent upper endoscopy, HRM and pH-study between November 2022 and March 2023. Demographic and clinical data were analyzed. The efficacy of the AFS classification in predicting GERD (acid exposure time, AET &gt; 6%) was assessed. Each component of the classification was compared with the corresponding HRM variable. Results: Among 56 patients (48% men, BMI 23.5 kg/m2, age 43 years), an AET &gt; 6% was found in 22 (39%), and in 0% of patients with AFS grade I, 5.9% with grade II, 52% with grade III and 77.8% with grade IV ( P &lt; .001). The L component effectively predicted the EGJ type, the D the EGJ-Contractile Integral, while the absence of the flap valve was related to a positive Straight Leg Raise maneuver. Conclusions: The new grading system is able to stratify patients with pathologic GERD. Moreover, the single components of the AFS classification are associated with manometric markers of EGJ disruption.

Investigation of the Relationship Between Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Using 24-hour Multichannel Intraluminal Impedance With pH Testing According to Current Consensus.

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is a popular weight loss procedure with potential effects on gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, research on the association between LSG and GERD using objective evaluation criteria, such as multichannel intraluminal impedance combined with pH testing (MII-pH), is limited. This study aimed to investigate the impact of LSG on GERD using MII-pH and current consensus guidelines. It was conducted as a prospective clinical study on 33 patients who underwent LSG between January 2022 and August 2022. MII-pH and high-resolution manometry were performed preoperatively and 3 to 6 months postoperatively. GERD diagnosis was based on MII-pH results using the Lyon and Update Porto consensus guidelines. Postoperative MII-pH analysis revealed a significant increase in acid reflux time, acid exposure time, reflux index, esophageal clearance, total reflux time, and longest reflux period. Weak acid reflux episodes decreased, while Demeester score and alkaline reflux showed nonsignificant increases. Pathologic reflux significantly increased postoperatively based on MII-pH diagnosis. High-resolution manometry showed a significant increase in unsuccessful motility. Although the Demeester score calculation consists of 6 metrics, including acid exposure time, the acid exposure time is more specific in detecting pathologic reflux. Pathologic GERD increases significantly with LSG in the early period. Therefore, preoperative and postoperative endoscopy and MII-pH can provide valuable information regarding the need for closer follow-up after LSG.

Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Diagnosis and Management.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common, with increasing worldwide disease prevalence and high economic burden. A significant number of patients will remain symptomatic following an empiric proton pump inhibitor (PPI) trial. Persistent symptoms despite PPI therapy are often mislabeled as refractory GERD. For patients with no prior GERD evidence (unproven GERD), testing is performed off antisecretory therapy to identify objective evidence of pathologic reflux using criteria outlined by the Lyon consensus. In proven GERD, differentiation between refractory symptoms (persisting symptoms despite optimized antisecretory therapy) and refractory GERD (abnormal reflux metrics on ambulatory pH impedance monitoring and/or persistent erosive esophagitis on endoscopy while on optimized PPI therapy) can direct subsequent management. While refractory symptoms may arise from esophageal hypersensitivity or functional heartburn, proven refractory GERD requires personalization of the management approach, tapping from an array of non-pharmacologic, pharmacologic, endoscopic, and surgical interventions. Proper diagnosis and management of refractory GERD is critical to mitigate undesirable long-term complications such as strictures, Barrett's esophagus, and esophageal adenocarcinoma. This review outlines the diagnostic workup of patients presenting with refractory GERD symptoms, describes the distinction between unproven and proven GERD, and provides a comprehensive review of the current treatment strategies available for the management of refractory GERD.

Diagnosis of Columnar Metaplasia of the Esophageal Mucosa in Patients with Complicated Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Aim: to improve methods of diagnostics of esophageal mucosal forms of metaplasia and dysplasia in patients with complicated forms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) using multidisciplinary approach.Material and methods. Overall, 131 patients aged 18 to 84 years (mean age — 55.8 ± 16.7 years) with confirmed diagnosis of GERD complicated by development of metaplasia of mucosa of distal esophagus were included in retroand prospective study. At the prehospital stage the patients' complaints were estimated, anamnesis was taken. At the first stage of the diagnostic program all patients underwent detailed esophagogastroduodenoscopy in high resolution with white light. The region of esophageal mucosa with signs of metaplasia and determination of its prevalence was examined and evaluated with special attention. Ultrashort segment was revealed in 26 patients, short segment — in 47 patients, long segment of mucosal metaplasia was revealed in 58 patients. Then to reveal the signs of dysplasia we used specifying endoscopic methods: the structure of pitted and microvascular pattern was estimated in narrow spectral mode using BING classification system. If an irregular type of metaplasized epithelium structure was detected in the process of BING assessment, the areas suspicious for dysplasia were marked, followed by aim forceps biopsy from them. The next stage was staining of the metaplasized segment with 1.5 % ethanic acid solution — acetowhitening. PREDICT classification system was used to evaluate the stained mucosal sections with metaplasia. Targeted forceps biopsy was performed from the altered areas that most quickly lost their coloring. The final stage of the diagnostic program in all patients was a forceps biopsy of the mucosa of the metaplasic segment according to the Seattle protocol, which requires increasing the number of fragments as the metaplasic segment lengthens in a “blind” biopsy. The biopsy material was stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and periodic acid Schiff reaction was performed in combination with alcyanine blue according to the standard technique.Results. Endoscopic examination in white light and evaluation of metaplasia extent revealed ultrashort segment (&lt;1 cm) in 26/131 (19.9 %) patients; short segment (1–3 cm) — in 47/131 (35.9 %); long segment (&gt; 3 cm) — in 58/131 (44.3 %) patients. Among the diagnostic techniques used, the BING and PREDICT classifications had the highest accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity (accuracy — 88.9 and 95.3 %, sensitivity — 90.5 and 91.3 %, and specificity — 86.7 and 100 %, respectively), which significantly exceeded the Seattle protocol also used in this work. The results showed a low level of specificity (31.2 %), accuracy (54.5 %), and sensitivity (76.8 %) of the Seattle protocol. The use of BING and PREDICT classifications provided marking of compromised zones, allowing targeted histological sampling.Conclusions. The original study demonstrated the greatest sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of PREDICT and BING methods in the diagnosis of metaplasia with signs of dysplasia in patients with complicated GERD. It is also important that the use of BING and PREDICT classification systems allows to reduce the number of biopsy samples in comparison with their unreasonably large number according to the Seattle protocol, thereby reducing mucosal and submucosal trauma of the esophagus and the risk of complications.

Latin American consensus on diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be challenging given varying symptom presentations, and complex multifactorial pathophysiology. The gold standard for GERD diagnosis is esophageal acid exposure time (AET) measured by pH-metry. A variety of additional diagnostic tools are available. The goal of this consensus was to assess the individual merits of GERD diagnostic tools based on current evidence, and provide consensus recommendations following discussion and voting by experts. This consensus was developed by 15 experts from nine countries, based on a systematic search of the literature, using GRADE (grading of recommendations, assessment, development and evaluation) methodology to assess the quality and strength of the evidence, and provide recommendations regarding the diagnostic utility of different GERD diagnosis tools, using AET as the reference standard. A proton pump inhibitor (PPI) trial is appropriate for patients with heartburn and no alarm symptoms, but nor for patients with regurgitation, chest pain, or extraesophageal presentations. Severe erosive esophagitis and abnormal reflux monitoring off PPI are clearly indicative of GERD. Esophagram, esophageal biopsies, laryngoscopy, and pharyngeal pH monitoring are not recommended to diagnose GERD. Patients with PPI-refractory symptoms and normal endoscopy require reflux monitoring by pH or pH-impedance to confirm or exclude GERD, and identify treatment failure mechanisms. GERD confounders need to be considered in some patients, pH-impedance can identify supragrastric belching, impedance-manometry can diagnose rumination. Erosive esophagitis on endoscopy and abnormal pH or pH-impedance monitoring are the most appropriate methods to establish a diagnosis of GERD. Other tools may add useful complementary information.

Does severe and chronic esophageal distension by air (observed in SGB and GB) affect the esophageal mucosa integrity (MNBI).

Supragastric belching (SGB) and aerophagia are behavioral disorders characterized by air induced esophageal distension. SGB is known to be associated with Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Low Mean Nocturnal Baseline Impedance (MNBI) values support GERD diagnosis. We aimed to assess if chronic esophageal distension by air affects the esophageal mucosa integrity by assessing changes in MNBI. In a single-center database study, we searched retrospectively for patients with a diagnosis of pathological SGB (n = 146) or aerophagia (n = 34) based on impedance-pH reflux monitoring. During the examined period, patients with a conclusive negative diagnosis of SGB and no evidence of aerophagia were used as a control cohort (n = 191). MNBI at 3, 5, and 17 cm over Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) was evaluated. GERD was diagnosed if acid exposure time (AET) >6%. All impedance studies of included patients were prospectively reevaluated. GERD was diagnosed in 31.7% patients with SGB, a rate not different in comparison to patients without SGB (30.8%, p = 0.906). MNBI at 3 and 5 cm above the LES was significantly decreased among patients with SGB. SGB was not correlated with MNBI at 3 cm over the LES, (p: 0.086 OR: 1.000 95% CI: 0.999-1.001) when using multivariate analysis. Moreover no difference was spotted as far as MNBI at 3, 5, and 17 cm over the LES is concerned among patients with or without aerophagia. Even if patients with SGB do show lower MNBI values, esophageal distention due to excessive air movement does not directly lead to impairment of esophageal mucosa integrity.

Modern strategy for management of pediatric patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease in compliance with the international and national guidelines

Recent epidemiological studies demonstrated that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) takes a leading place among acid‑dependent gastroenterological diseases. The problems of GERD development prevention and its treatment are topical since GERD significantly reduces the quality of life, especially when extraesophageal symptoms appear. Timely and correct GERD diagnosis, treatment and monitoring in pediatric patients prevents the development of complicated course of the disease in adults. Last decade, priority attention has been given to improving the quality of medical care in most countries worldwide. To achieve this purpose, effective medical care should be provided and the results of treatment of patients should be improved.&#x0D; The review presents analysis of current strategies for GERD diagnosis and treatment in pediatric patients based on the international and national guidelines. To ensure the proper quality of medical care, it is necessary to standardize approaches to diagnosis and treatment of diseases in childhood. The preparation of the Medical Standards of Care «Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in Children» by a multidisciplinary group of experts and the adaptation of the clinical guideline are purposed to the improvement of existing diagnostic and treatment approaches to GERD pediatric patients in Ukraine, to ensuring high‑quality and effective medical care and establishing the uniform requirements for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of this group of patients. The results of modern investigations, based on international consensuses on the GERD diagnosis and treatment in childhood, have been highlighted. The latest information on the expediency of administration of instrumental examinations and treatment tactics has been presented.&#x0D;  

Bio-Inspired Untethered Robot-Sensor Platform for Minimally Invasive Biomedical Sensing.

Conventional catheter- or probe-based in vivo biomedical sensing is uncomfortable, inconvenient, and sometimes infeasible for long-term monitoring. Existing implantable sensors often require an invasive procedure for sensor placement. Untethered soft robots with the capability to deliver the sensor to the desired monitoring point hold great promise for minimally invasive biomedical sensing. Inspired by the locomotion modes of snakes, we present here a soft kirigami robot for sensor deployment and real-time wireless sensing. The locomotion mechanism of the soft robot is achieved by kirigami patterns that offer asymmetric tribological properties that mimic the skin of the snake. The robot exhibits good deployability, excellent load capacity (up to 150 times its own weight), high-speed locomotion (0.25 body length per step), and wide environmental adaptability with multimodal movements (obstacle crossing, locomotion in wet and dry conditions, climbing, and inverted crawling). When integrated with passive sensors, the versatile soft robot can locomote inside the human body, deliver the passive sensor to the desired location, and hold the sensor in place for real-time monitoring in a minimally invasive manner. The proof-of-concept prototype demonstrates that the platform can perform real-time impedance monitoring for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Сучасне розуміння етіопатогенезу гастроезофагеальної рефлюксної хвороби: висвітлення ключових аспектів та перспектив

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common diseases among gastroenterological pathologies. The relevance of GERD is due not only to medical aspects, but also to economic ones, since the vast majority of patients are young working-age people. The prevalence of GERD ranges from 20% to 30% of the adult population. GERD is associated with a significant decrease in quality of life and the development of Baretta’s esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. GERD is a chronic disease with spontaneous repetitive spillage of gastric or duodenal-gastric contents into the esophagus, with typical complaints of heartburn and regurgitation. The pathogenesis is complex and includes the following aspects: decreased tone of the lower esophageal sphincter, diaphragmatic hernia, impaired protective function of the esophageal mucosa and esophageal motility, and increased intra-abdominal pressure. Obesity plays a significant pathogenetic role in the development of GERD. Weight loss is associated with symptom relief and a reduced risk of complications. Diagnosis of GERD is based primarily on typical clinical symptoms and empirical trial therapy with PPI. Treatment includes lifestyle changes, medications, and surgery. Еndoscopy and pH monitoring additionally contribute to the correct diagnosis. Further research on pathogenetic mechanisms is needed to implement effective strategies for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of complications.

Portable and Rapid Fluorescence Turn-On Detection of Total Pepsin in Saliva Based on Strong Electrostatic Interactions.

Salivary pepsin has been proposed as a promising diagnostic marker for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, the activity of human pepsin is strongly influenced by pH, and the acidic condition (pH ∼ 2) is optimal, which is a contradiction for the pepsin detection kit based on its catalytic activity. Thus, its accurate quantification in saliva (neutral pH) by readily rapid tools with simplicity and low cost is still challenging. Herein, a convenient fluorescence assay has been developed for the rapid detection of pepsin at neutral pH based on its electrostatic interaction with SYBR Green (SG) rather than the bioactivity. At neutral pH, the positively charged SG fluorophore can be effectively adsorbed by the negatively charged pepsin due to the low isoelectric point (pI) and large molecular size of pepsin. Thus, the molecular rotation of SG is limited, and its fluorescence intensity is significantly increased. The strategy was further confirmed to have the same fluorescence response as that of normally active and inactivated pepsin. Due to the unique pI of pepsin, the fluorescence strategy is highly selective for pepsin compared to other proteins. On the basis of this strategy, a smartphone-based fluorescence capture device integrated with a programmed Python program was fabricated for both color recognition and the accurate detection of pepsin within 3 min. Under the optimal conditions, this turn-on sensor allowed for the on-site analysis of pepsin with a detection limit of 0.2 μg/mL. Moreover, this strategy was successfully used to assess salivary pepsin to aid in the noninvasive diagnosis of GERD.

Threshold level of Peptest in diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease with extraesophageal symptoms: Evidence from Vietnam.

We aimed to evaluate the application of Peptest, a novel technique to detect pepsin in the saliva, and identify its threshold level for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with extraesophageal symptoms. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two groups: patients with extraesophageal GERD symptoms (symptomatic group divided into GERD and non-GERD groups according to 24-h esophageal pH-impedance monitoring [pH-I] results) and healthy controls. For the symptomatic group, endoscopy, pH 24 h, high-resolution manometry (HRM), and salivary Peptest were performed. For the healthy control group, only Peptest was done. The accuracy of Peptest was compared with that of pH-I by the Lyon consensus criteria. Chronic laryngitis was the most frequent extraesophageal symptom. On saliva testing, the GERD group had a higher prevalence of positive samples and pepsin concentration than the control group. Between GERD and non-GERD groups, the optimal threshold level was 31.2 ng/mL, with a sensitivity of 86.7% and specificity of 27.5%. The optimal threshold level was 31.4 ng/mL to differentiate GERD from healthy controls, with a sensitivity of 86.7% and specificity of 66.0%. Age, number of total refluxes, DeMeester score, post-reflux swallow-induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) index, and mean nocturnal baseline impedence (MNBI) were associated with pepsin concentration. Regarding HRM metrics, there was no significant difference of pepsin concentration between low/normal upper esophageal sphincter (UES) resting pressure, low/normal lower esophageal sphincter (LES) resting pressure, low/normal 4-s integrated relaxation pressure (IRP4s), and hypomotility/normal motility. Patients with extraesophageal symptoms had a higher prevalence of positive Peptest. The optimum threshold level of 31.4 ng/mL had high sensitivity and moderate specificity to differentiate between patients with GERD and healthy controls.

Real-World Evidence to Evaluate the Efficacy and Safety of Vonoprazan in Gastrointestinal Disorders in the Pakistani Population.

While proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy has proven to be effective in managing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a notable portion of patients who experience GERD symptoms may not respond to this treatment. Research suggests that roughly 30% of individuals with a presumed GERD diagnosis may continue to experience symptoms, whether partially or completely, even when receiving PPI therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases with a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB), vonoprazan, in terms of its effectiveness and safety in the Pakistani population. This prospective, multicenter, observational study was conducted in Pakistan. This study included 1,642 patients from January 2023 to August 2023, aged 18 years, with gastrointestinal disorders. All demographic data, medical history, GERD severity assessment questionnaire (GerdQ), and laboratory parameters, including stool assessment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), were observed. Patients were orally treated with vonoprazan at doses of 10 mg or 20 mg, once or twice daily. Statistical analysis was done by one-way ANOVA. Out of 1,642 patients, 840 (51.2%) were males and 802 (48.8%) were females, with a mean age of 39.81±14.61 years. The mean GerdQ score at baseline was 20.37±15.87, 7.24±8.15 at the secondweek of treatment, and 3.70±6.31 at the fourth week of treatment (p<0.001). 90.74% of patients achieved H. pylori eradication. Most patients were acid regurgitation and heartburn-free for >70% of days. Most of the patients, 1,283 (78.13%), exhibited good treatment compliance. Mild adverse events were reported in 37 (2.3%) patients. The use of vonoprazan significantly reduced the likelihood of GERD by improving symptoms and was also highly effective in the elimination of H. pylori infections. Vonoprazan was generally well tolerated.

Modern aspects of managing patients with non-erosive reflux disease

A review of current  data  on the management of patients with non-erosive reflux disease  (NERD) was made. Diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease  (GERD) is based  on symptom analysis, endoscopic  evaluation of the esophageal mucosa, objective  evidence of gastric contents reflux into the esophagus during pH-impedancemetry, and response to therapeutic intervention. Treatment for GERD should include weight loss if overweight, lifestyle modification, and dietary modification. Current consensus recommends starting NERD treatment with once-daily proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), but only 50% of patients with this pathology respond to such therapy. Incomplete response to PPIs is a reason  to increase  the dose of PPI and add Gaviscon to treatment to neutralize the post-prandial “acid pocket”. Gaviscon is especially effective in patients with postprandial or nocturnal symptoms and in those with hiatal hernia. The mechanism  of action of Gaviscon is based  on the formation  of an alginate “raft” on the surface of the gastric contents, which neutralizes the acid and blocks its pathological effect to esophageal mucosa. A modern meta-analysis on the NERD treatment, which included  23 studies  and 10,735  patients, showed  the  efficacy of Gaviscon monotherapy comparable to PPIs in treatment for 4 weeks. The combination of a PPI with Gaviscon offers the opportunity to optimize response to treatment in NERD patients with an incomplete response to PPIs monotherapy. The Russian Gastroenterological Association thinks that alginates can be used both as monotherapy for mild clinical variants of NERD and in complex treatment regimens  for various GERD variants.