Incidence Of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Research Articles

Utilizing Esophageal Motility Tests in Diagnosing and Evaluating Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a prevalent clinical condition, is often attributed to aberrant esophageal motility, leading to gastric content reflux and associated symptoms or complications. The rising incidence of GERD presents an escalating healthcare challenge. Endoscopic and esophageal reflux monitoring can provide a basis for the diagnosis of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, but when the diagnostic basis is at an inconclusive value, some additional supportive evidence will be needed. Advanced technology is the key to improving patient diagnosis, accurate assessment, and the development of effective treatment strategies. High-resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) and endoscopic functional lumen imaging probe (EndoFLIP) represent the forefront of esophageal motility assessment. HREM, an evolution of traditional esophageal manometry, is considered the benchmark for identifying esophageal motility disorders. Its widespread application in esophageal dynamics research highlights its diagnostic significance. Concurrently, EndoFLIP's emerging clinical relevance is evident in diagnosing and guiding the treatment of coexisting esophageal motility issues. This review integrates contemporary research to delineate the contributions of HREM, EndoFLIP, and novel technologies in GERD. It examines their efficacy in facilitating an accurate diagnosis, differentiating similar gastrointestinal disorders, quantifying the extent of reflux, assessing the severity of the disease, forecasting patient responsiveness to proton pump inhibitor therapy, and guiding decisions for surgical interventions. The overarching aim is to deepen the understanding of GERD's underlying mechanisms and advance the formulation of holistic, efficacious treatment approaches.

Does Antrum Size Matter in Sleeve Gastrectomy? Volume II-A Retrospective Multicentric Study with Long-Term Follow-Up.

Background: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is the most widespread bariatric procedure due to its safety and efficacy. Despite continuous refinement, achieving a globally standardized procedure remains challenging. Moreover, due to its wide adoption, numerous studies have focused on complications associated with the technique, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This study evaluates the impact of antrum size (wide antrectomy versus small antrectomy) in LSG on long-term anthropometric outcomes and complications in patients with morbid obesity. Methods: Body mass index (BMI), percentage of excess weight loss (%EWL) at a 5-year follow-up, GERD Health-Related Quality-of-Life (GERD-HRQL) scores, and obesity-related diseases of patients undergoing LSG with gastric resections starting 2 cm and 6 cm from the pylorus were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Between January 2015 and November 2019, 597 patients who met the criteria for LSG were included in the study. Group A (241 patients) underwent wide antrectomy, while Group B (356 patients) underwent small antrectomy. Weight, BMI, %EWL, and %TWL significantly improved at 6 and 12 months in the wide-antrectomy group. However, these differences diminished by 24 months, with no significant long-term differences in weight loss outcomes between the two groups at 5 years. Conversely, GERD-HRQL scores were significantly better in the small-antrectomy group until 24 months; thereafter, results were comparable between groups over the long term. Conclusions: Therefore, while wide antrectomy may offer superior short-term anthropometric outcomes, both techniques yield similar long-term results regarding weight management and GERD incidence. Larger prospective studies are needed to further address this issue.

Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Its Impact on the Quality of Life Among Obese Individuals in Al-Baha Region, Saudi Arabia.

Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a global gastrointestinal disorder, and obesity is a particular risk factor. Symptoms of GERD, such as heartburn and acid reflux, are caused by abnormal relaxation in the lower esophagus, causing gastric acid reflux. Persistent symptoms can affect the patient's quality of life (QOL) and can cause complications, such as esophageal adenocarcinoma. Management of GERD includes lifestyle changes, antacids, and anti-reflux surgery. Even though GERD is a common disease, few research has been carried out on it in Saudi Arabia. Aim This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of GERD and its associated risk factors among obese individuals in the Al-Baha region population and the effect of GERD on their QOL. Methods A cross-sectional study included 314 obese participants from the Al-Baha region. A questionnaire was filled out to measure the prevalence of GERD, risk factors, and effects on the QOL of the participants. Data were analyzed by the IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 26.0 (released 2019, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Descriptive statistics and the chi-squared test were applied. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with the incidence of GERD. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 314 patients who met our inclusion criteria completed the survey; 42% of them were women, the mean age of all patients was 35.3 ± 12.9 years, and 38.2% of the patients were diagnosed with GERD. Epigastric pain and burning sensation were the most common symptoms (44.9%). Five out of six domains in the QOL questionnaire showed more effects among GERD participants than non-GERD participants, and the results were statistically significant (p = 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that men are 1.8 times more likely than women to be diagnosed with GERD, and smokers have 2.6 times the risk of being diagnosed with GERD than non-smokers. Conclusion The present study showed a high prevalence of GERD among obese patients in the Al-Baha region, negatively affecting their QOL. Major risk factors included gender, smoking, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Public health programs to raise awareness of these risk factors and lifestyle habits are necessary to improve QOL and prevent complications.

Comparison of Sleeve Gastrectomy with Loop Duodenojejunal Bypass Versus One Anastomosis Gastric Bypass for Type 2 Diabetes: The Role of Pylorus Preservation.

One anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) is recognized as a standard procedure in metabolic surgery. However, concerns about postoperative bile reflux and nutritional risks are prevalent. Comparatively, sleeve gastrectomy with loop duodenojejunal bypass (SG + LoopDJB) bypasses an equivalent length of the foregut as OAGB while maintaining pyloric function. The role of pylorus function remains to be further elucidated regarding these metabolic procedures' therapeutic outcomes and side effects. A retrospective study was conducted in our center to compare the surgical safety and 1-year outcomes of OAGB and SG + LoopDJB regarding type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission, weight loss, gastrointestinal disorders, and nutritional status in T2DM patients matched by gender, age, and BMI. The baseline characteristics were comparable between groups. Compared with OAGB, SG + LoopDJB had longer operative time and length of stay (LOS) but similar major postoperative complications. At 1-year follow-up, OAGB has similar diabetes remission (both 91.9%), weight loss effect (28.1 ± 7.1% vs. 30.2 ± 7.0% for %TWL), and lipidemia improvement to SG + LoopDJB (P > 0.05). However, OAGB presented a higher incidence of hypoalbuminemia (11.9% vs. 2.4%, P = 0.026) but a low incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms (9.5% vs. 26.2%, P = 0.046) than SG + LoopDJB. There was no statistical difference regarding other gastrointestinal disorders and nutritional deficiencies between groups. Both OAGB and SG + LoopDJB show comparable, favorable outcomes in weight loss, T2DM remission, and lipidemia improvement at the 1-year follow-up. Pylorus preservation, while increasing surgical difficulty and the risk of de novo GERD, may reduce the risk of postoperative hypoalbuminemia.

Efficacy and safety of tegoprazan in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: A protocol for meta-analysis and systematic review.

The incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasing year by year, the clinical manifestations are complex and diverse, and the adverse effects of long-term use of proton pump inhibitors and gastrointestinal motility drugs have been of great concern in recent years. The effectiveness of tegoprazan in the treatment of GERD is still controversial. This protocol describes a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tegoprazan in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science will be searched from the database inception to 1 March 2023. All randomized controlled trials related to tegoprazan for GERD will be included. Extracted data will include publication details, basic information, demographic data, intervention details and patient outcomes. The primary outcome will be complete resolution of major symptoms, complete resolution of heartburn, proportion of heartburn-free days, chronic cough, hoarseness, and adverse events. Risk of bias will be assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias. Article selection, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be performed in duplicate by two independent reviewers. If the meta-analysis is precluded, we will conduct a descriptive synthesis using a best-evidence synthesis approach. The results of this study will provide reliable evidence to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tegoprazan in the treatment of GERD and help patients, physicians and clinical investigators choose the most appropriate treatment.

The associations of daily steps and body mass index with incident gastroesophageal reflux disease in older adults.

High body mass index (BMI) is a major risk factor of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a prevalent morbidity of older adulthood linked to lower quality of life and an increased risk of esophageal cancers. Daily stepping behavior, the most common physical activity of older adulthood, is associated with an array of favorable health outcomes, sometimes independent of high BMI. Whether stepping behavior is associated with the incidence of GERD independently or in combination with BMI is currently unclear. We followed 442 individuals (58.4% female) aged 65-91 years enrolled in the Physical Activity and Aging Study. Baseline steps were obtained by pedometer and categorized by tertiles (lower, middle, upper), while BMI was categorized into normal weight, overweight, and obesity. To explore joint associations, daily steps were dichotomized into "high steps" (middle/upper tertiles) and "low steps" (lower tertile), while BMI was dichotomized into normal weight and overweight/obesity. The joint exposure categories included "low steps and overweight/obesity," "low steps and normal weight," "high steps and overweight/obesity," and "high steps and normal weight." We identified 35 (7.9%) cases of GERD over a mean follow-up of 2.5 years. Compared to the lower tertile of steps, the hazard ratios (HRs) [95% confidence intervals (95% CIs)] of GERD were 0.44 (0.20-0.96) and 0.17 (0.05-0.54) for the middle and upper tertiles, respectively, after adjusting for confounders (including BMI). Compared to normal weight, the HRs (95% CIs) of GERD were 1.35 (0.54-3.37) and 3.00 (1.19-7.55) for overweight and obesity, respectively, after adjusting for confounders (including steps). In a joint analysis, compared to "low steps and overweight/obesity," the HRs (95% CIs) of GERD were 0.32 (0.10-1.00), 0.23 (0.10-0.54), and 0.20 (0.07-0.58) for "low steps and normal weight," "high steps and overweight/obesity," and "high steps and normal weight," respectively. Higher daily steps were associated with a lower risk of GERD in older adults, independent of BMI. Since accumulating steps through walking is an achievable and acceptable modality of physical activity in older adulthood, future lifestyle interventions designed to achieve high daily steps counts may have favorable implications for the development of GERD in older adults of any BMI status.

Early and late complications arising from various bariatric surgical procedures in a tertiary center in Saudi Arabia

Background Individuals who are obese or morbidly obese face a significantly higher risk of experiencing postoperative complications. To evaluate high-risk patients undergoing bariatric surgery and mitigate the likelihood of further postoperative complications, various indicators are utilized. There are no prior reports about bariatric surgical procedures-related early/late complications that came out from the western region of Saudi Arabia. Aim This retrospective study aims to evaluate both short-term and long-term postoperative complications after several bariatric surgeries, including sleeve gastrectomy, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, and revisional bariatric surgery. Patients and methods The assessment of complications in 328 patients who underwent bariatric surgery involved analyzing demographic data, medical and surgical history, preoperative and postoperative BMI, histopathologic findings, and early and late complications. These data were obtained from a prospectively maintained database. Results Of the total participants, 241 underwent sleeve gastrectomy, 43 underwent gastric bypass, and 44 had revisional bariatric surgery. Complication rates varied among the different bariatric surgeries. Specifically, SG patients had the lowest early major complication rate (2.1%), while gastric bypass patients had a rate of 4.7%. Conversely, the ‘revisional’ operations reported the highest rate of early complications at 9.1%. Late complications demonstrated varying rates, with sleeve gastrectomy patients experiencing the highest incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease at 39%, and gastric bypass patients showing the highest rate of nutritional deficiency at 58%. Conclusion The study found that the baseline characteristics of patients did not exert a statistically significant influence on the occurrence of postoperative complications. However, different types of bariatric surgeries presented varying complication rates. Patients who underwent gastric bypass tended to have the highest rate of nutritional deficiency, while sleeve gastrectomy patients exhibited the highest rate of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Selecting the appropriate bariatric surgical procedure warrants careful consideration of patients’ preferences, demographic characteristics, presence of other medical conditions, and a comprehensive understanding of the potential advantages and disadvantages of each surgical option. Collectively, our findings would help discussing the expected outcome with the patients before surgery.

Analyzing the correlation between gastroesophageal reflux disease and anxiety and depression based on ordered logistic regression

Numerous studies have indicated a connection between psychiatric symptoms, specifically anxiety and depression, and gastroesophageal reflux. However, the precise nature of the link between the severity of gastroesophageal reflux disease and the severity of anxiety and depression remains uncertain. Here, we gathered 24-h pH monitoring data and baseline patient information from a cohort of 518 individuals. Additionally, we evaluated their psychological well-being using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The relationship between baseline characteristics and varying degrees of anxiety, depression, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was assessed using R software version 4.1.3 and logistic regression models. The findings indicate a statistically significant variation in anxiety levels based on gender, as well as a significant disparity in depression groups when considering age and literacy levels. Kruskal–Wallis test analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between the severity of anxiety and depression and the 24-h pH monitoring results in our patient cohort. As the anxiety and depression levels increased, the rank mean for each examination result also increased. Logistic regression modeling analysis showed that a higher anxiety level was associated with a higher level of GERD. In the presence of mild anxiety, there is a statistically significant association with a higher incidence of GERD with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.64 (95% CI 1.50, 4.64). Similarly, the moderately severe anxiety group also exhibits a causal relationship with an increased GERD incidence, with an OR of 6.84 (95% CI 3.92, 12.17). Additionally, moderate to severe depression is associated with a higher incidence of GERD, with an OR of 2.32 (95% CI 1.23, 4.37). The prevalence of GERD was greater among males compared to females (OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.51–3.49). Additionally, an elevated body mass index (BMI) demonstrated a positive correlation with the susceptibility to GERD (OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.01–1.14). Increasing age may promote the occurrence of GERD in patients. These findings may help to provide a better basis for psychological or pharmacological interventions for GERD patients with psychosomatic symptoms in the future, and provide a reference basis for clinical treatment of the disease.

Effect of anti-reflux suture on gastroesophageal reflux symptoms after one anastomosis gastric bypass: a randomized controlled trial.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is an issue after one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB) and modification of OAGB with adding an anti-reflux system may decrease the incidence of postoperative GERD. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of the anti-reflux mechanism to treat preoperative GERD and prevent de novo GERD. A prospective randomized clinical trial study was conducted on patients with a body mass index of 40 and more from August 2020 to February 2022. Patients undergoing one anastomosis gastric bypass with and without anti-reflux sutures (groups A and B, respectively). These patients had follow-ups for one year after the surgery. GERD symptoms were assessed in all the patients using the GERD symptom questionnaire. The mean age was 39.5 ± 9.8 years and 40.7 ± 10.2 years in groups A and B respectively. GERD symptoms remission occurred in 76.5% and 68.4% of patients in groups A and B, respectively. The incidence of de novo GERD symptoms was lower in group A, compared to group B (6.2% and 16.1% in groups A and B respectively), without any statistically significant difference (p-value: 0.239). GERD symptoms and de novo GERD after OAGB seems to be under-reported after OAGB. This study suggests that applying an anti-reflux suture can decrease de novo GERD symptoms.

Prediction, prevention and management of gastroesophageal reflux after per-oral endoscopic myotomy: An update.

Achalasia cardia, the most prevalent primary esophageal motility disorder, is predominantly characterized by symptoms of dysphagia and regurgitation. The principal therapeutic approaches for achalasia encompass pneumatic dilatation (PD), Heller's myotomy, and the more recent per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). POEM has been substantiated as a safe and efficacious modality for the management of achalasia. Although POEM demonstrates superior efficacy compared to PD and an efficacy parallel to Heller's myotomy, the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) following POEM is notably higher than with the aforementioned techniques. While symptomatic reflux post-POEM is relatively infrequent, the significant occurrence of erosive esophagitis and heightened esophageal acid exposure necessitates vigilant monitoring to preclude long-term GERD-related complications. Contemporary advancements in the field have enhanced our comprehension of the risk factors, diagnostic methodologies, preventative strategies, and therapeutic management of GERD subsequent to POEM. This review focuses on the limitations inherent in the 24-h pH study for evaluating post-POEM reflux, potential modifications in the POEM technique to mitigate GERD risk, and the strategies for managing reflux following POEM.

A Mendelian randomization analysis identifies causal association between sarcopenia and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is increasing with the advancement of world population aging, affecting the population health worldwide. Recently, there were several researches to suggest the association between GERD and sarcopenia, but evidence supporting the causal effect was absent. The purpose of this study is to determine the causal relationship between GERD and sarcopenia through a Mendelian randomization (MR) study. We conducted an MR analysis by using summary-level data of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) in the European population. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analytical method for evaluating causality. In addition, four other MR methods were performed to supplement the IVW results. We also used the Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) and the multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) to validate the robustness of our results. IVW analysis revealed a causally positive correlation between low hand grip strength (OR = 1.2358, 95% C.I.: 1.0521-1.4514, P = 0.0099), decreased walking pace (OR = 0.1181, 95% C.I.: 0.0838-0.1666, P = 4×10-34), and decreased appendicular lean mass (ALM) (OR = 0.8612, 95% C.I.: 0.8263-0.8975, P = 1×10-12) and GERD. MR-PRESSO and MVMR analysis confirmed the association evidence. In conclusion, this MR analysis supported the causal association between sarcopenia-related traits and GERD.

Rationale and Trial Protocol for a Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial to assess the Impact of a Concomitant Crural Repair during Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Patients with a Lax Gastroesophageal Junction without Frank Hiatal Hernia (REPAIR trial protocol).

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is associated with postoperative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and erosive esophagitis (EE). The role of crural repair during LSG is still controversial. The preoperative laxity of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), graded by the Hill's classification, is more predictive for postoperative GERD and EE after LSG than the presence of a hiatal hernia seen on endoscopy. Thus, the authors hypothesize that a concomitant crural repair in a specific subgroup of patients with a lax GEJ (Hill's III) may reduce the incidence of postoperative GERD and EE. A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial of patients with Hill's III GEJ undergoing LSG will be randomized to a concomitant crural repair (experimental) versus LSG alone (control). Primary outcome measures will be presence of EE at 1-year. Secondary outcome measures will include proton pump inhibitor use, postoperative complications, operative time, blood loss, quality of life, GERD and gastrointestinal symptoms. Conflicting crural repair results may be explained by differences in preoperative GEJ laxity. Patients with a frank hiatal hernia and patulous GEJ (Hill's IV) have a very high, while patients with an apposed GEJ (Hill's I, Hill's II) have a low incidence of postoperative GERD and EE respectively. Thus, the authors hypothesize that patients with a lax GEJ without frank hiatal hernia (Hill's III), might benefit from a crural repair. This study results can potentially highlight the clinical importance of preoperative endoscopic evaluation of the GEJ in all patients planned for LSG, to determine which subgroup patients may benefit from a crural repair. (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT05330910, Registered 15-April-2022).

Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Lacks Intrasurgeon and Intersurgeon Agreement in Technical Key Points That May Affect Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease After the Procedure.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) may be related to surgical technique. The fact that there is a lack of technical standardization may explain large differences in GERD incidence. The aim of this study is to evaluate auto- and hetero-agreement for SG technical key points based on recorded videos. Ten experienced (minimum of 5years performing bariatric surgery, minimum of 30 SG per year) bariatric surgeons (9 (90%) males) were selected. Participants were invited to send an unedited video with a typical laparoscopic SG (first round of the Delphi process). Videos were cropped into small clips comprising 11 key points of the technique. All anonymized clips (including their own) were returned to all surgeons. Individuals were asked to agree or not with the technique demonstrated (second round). The percentage of agreement was presented to the entire group that was asked for a second vote (third round). Agreement was poor/fair for all points except hiatal repair that had a very good agreement in the second round. For the third round, there was a slight increase in agreement for distance esophagogastric junction/proximal stapling and gastric mobilization for stapling and a slight decrease in agreement for gastric tube final shape. Only 1 (10%) surgeon recognized that he evaluated his own video. Five (50%) surgeons disagreed with themselves on 1 or more points. SG lacks intrasurgeon and intersurgeon agreement in technical key points that may justify significant differences in GERD incidence after the procedure.

Esophageal Motility Abnormalities in Lung Transplant Recipients With Esophageal Acid Reflux Are Different From Matched Controls.

There is an increased incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after lung transplantation (LT) that can be associated with graft dysfunction. It is unclear if the underlying esophageal motility changes in GERD are different following LT. This study aimed to use esophageal high-resolution manometry (HRM) to explore GERD mechanisms in LT recipients compared to matched controls. This was a retrospective study including patients with pathologic acid reflux who underwent HRM and pH testing at our healthcare facility July 2012 to October 2019. The study included 12 LT recipients and 36 controls. Controls were matched in a 1:3 ratio for age, gender, and acid exposure time (AET). LT recipients had less hypotensive esophagogastric junction (EGJ) (mean EGJ-contractile integral 89.2 mmHg/cm in LT vs 33.9 mmHg/cm in controls, P < 0.001). AET correlated with distal contractile integral and total EGJ-contractile integral only in LT group (r = -0.79, P = 0.002 and r = -0.57, P = 0.051, respectively). Following LT, acid reflux is characterized by a less hypotensive EGJ compared to controls with similar AET. The strongest correlation with AET after LT was found to be esophageal peristaltic vigor. These results add to the understanding of reflux after LT and may help tailor an individualized treatment plan.

Сучасні уявлення про вплив гормонів щитоподібної залози на розвиток і перебіг гастроезофагеальної рефлюксної хвороби

The problem of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains one of the most relevant in modern gastroenterology. In recent decades, there has been a tendency to increase in the incidence of GERD especially among young people. Symptoms of GERD occur in almost half of the adult population. The main symptom of GERD — intermittent heartburn, which significantly reduces the quality of life, noted in up to 40% of residents of industrialized countries. However, the real prevalence of GERD in the population has not been studied enough due to the low rate of medical treatment seeking, frequent asymptomatic course as well as the course of the disease under masks, the so-called «esophageal» manifestations. At the same time, the number of patients with GERD with combined pathology is growing. One such disease is autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT). AIT — is one of the most common diseases of the thyroid gland. Autoimmune inflammatory process in the thyroid gland leads to the constant production of autoantibodies to thyroperoxidase or thyroglobulin and further leads to permanent destruction of the thyroid gland with the subsequent development of hypothyroidism. Early diagnosis of AIT allows to timely treatment and maintains thyroid function. Both of these diseases have several common pathogenetic mechanisms, the main of which are thyroid hormones that regulate motility and secretion of the gastrointestinal tract. The comorbid course of these pathologies aggravates and modifies the clinical picture each other. For today, the role of thyroid hormones in the mechanism of formation of motor-secretory disorders in patients with GERD with concomitant AIT, their impact on the peculiarities of the formation of psychosomatic status, as well as gender features of GERD and AIT remains unexplored.

Incidence and Characteristic of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): Before and During Covid-19 Pandemic

Background: The incident numbers of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Asia is increasing gradually from year to year. Activity restriction (lockdown) that happened during COVID-19 pandemic affects society’s eating habit and life style which are risk factors of GERD and the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux. This study was conducted to find the incidence and characteristics of GERD during COVID-19 pandemic and compared with the previous situation in patients who met the diagnostic criteria at H. Adam Malik General Hospital. Method: This research is a descriptive research study with a cross sectional design study where data were taken based on data from medical records at H. Adam Malik General Hospital in 2017–2022 with the sampling technique used is total sampling, where the research subjects were all patients diagnosed GERD that met the inclusion criteria.Results: The incidence of GERD before (2017–2019) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022) were 21 and 37 patients respectively (there was a 76% escalation in the incidence of GERD during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic). The similar characteristics of GERD patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic are age 40 years, work as an employee, high school graduate, and overweight body mass index (BMI).Conclusion: The incidence of GERD has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the pandemic.

The Role of a Plant-Only (Vegan) Diet in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: Online Survey of the Italian General Population.

The relationship between food and the pathophysiological mechanisms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is unclear. There are few data on the impact of dietary habits on GERD symptoms and on the incidence of GERD in subjects undergoing plant-based diets. In this study, we investigated the association between diet and GERD, using data collected through an online survey of the Italian general population. In total, 1077 subjects participated in the study. GERD was defined according to the Montreal Consensus. For all subjects age, gender, body mass index (BMI), marital status, education, occupation, alcohol consumption, and smoking habits were recorded. All participants also completed the SF-36 questionnaire on Quality of Life. A total of 402 subjects (37.3%) were vegans and 675 (62.7%) non-vegans. The prevalence of GERD in the total population was 9%. Subjects with GERD-related symptoms recorded a worse quality of life according to SF-36 analysis (p < 0.05 for all dimensions). In multivariate analysis, after adjusting for confounders, participants undergoing a vegan diet had a significantly lower risk of GERD (OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.28-0.81, p = 0.006). These findings should be taken into account to inform the lifestyle management of GERD.

The Relationship of Body Mass Index with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease based on Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire Score in Dinas Bina Marga and Bina Konstruksi of North Sumatera

Abstract. Introduction: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a pathological condition due to the reflux of stomach contents back into the esophagus that causing symptoms. In Indonesia, there is no clear prevalence of the incidence of GERD. Some risk factors that can cause GERD are age, sex, race, family history, economic status, increased body mass index (BMI) to obesity and smoking. BMI is the most useful and practical indicator for measuring body fat. It is known that an increased BMI can increase the risk for the occurrence of GERD. Objective: Knowing the relationship between BMI and GERD based on the GERD-Q score at the Dinas Bina Marga dan Bina Konstruksi of North Sumatra province. Methods: This research is an analatic study using cross-sectional method. Sampling using simple random sampling. The sample of this study using Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GERD-Q) for GERD diagnosis tool and measurement of weight and height to get BMI. Results: The analysis results obtained by Kendalls Tau-b correlation test and found p = 0.773 (p &lt; 0.005). Conclusion: There was no significant relationship between BMI and GERD based on GERD-Q scores on employees of the Dinas Bina Marga dan Bina Konstruksi of North Sumatera. Keywords: Body Mass Index, GERD, GERD-Q

Outcomes of Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy in the Treatment of Esophageal Achalasia: Over One Hundred Cases in a Single Tertiary Center

Objective: To study the outcomes and complications of per-oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) in patients with esophageal achalasia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study reviewed the medical records of esophageal achalasia patients who underwent POEM between March 2013 and September 2022. One hundred and eight cases were included. Results: A total of 108 consecutive patients were included in this study and classified into 4 groups: 30 (27.8%) as type I; 53 (49.1%) as type II; 5 (4.6%) as type III; and 20 (18.5%) as unspecified due to unsuccessful catheter placement across the esophagogastric junction. The mean patient age was 46.10+16.59, 77 (71.3%) patients were female. Ten (9.3%) of the patients had undergone prior treatment, including balloon dilation, POEM, Heller myotomy, and nitroglycerine. Technical success was achieved in 106 (98.1%) cases, clinical success was evaluated only in 88 patients who follow up more than 6 month and the median follow-up time was 20.50 months (range 6-110 months). The clinical success was accomplished in 82 (93.2%), and 26 (24.1%) patients experienced perioperative complications which were significantly associated with anterior myotomy and probably operator learning curve. One patient (1.1%) had recurrent symptoms at 24-month follow up. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was found in 19 (21.6%) patients, all of whom responded well to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Conclusion: POEM is effective and safe in long-term treatment of achalasia. Although the incidence of symptomatic GERD was slightly high, the cases were not severe and were well controlled with medication.

44. LONG-TERM OUTCOMES OF PERORAL ENDOSCOPIC MYOTOMY FOR PATIENTS WITH ACHALASIA: A SINGLE-CENTRE STUDY

Abstract Background and study aims: The short-term outcomes of Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) for achalasia are well described, however, there is limited long-term data in the literature. This study aims to retrospectively assess the long-term outcomes of the POEM in a Canadian tertiary care centre. Methods All patients who underwent POEM for treatment of Achalasia with minimum follow-up of at least 4 years at a tertiary care centre were enrolled in this study. The primary outcome of the study was clinical success defined as a post-POEM Eckardt score ≤ 3 at ≥48 months. Secondary outcomes included changes in body mass index (BMI), incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), adverse events and length of hospital stay. Result Thirty-eight patient (aged 53.9 ± 17.9) underwent POEM, with a median follow-up period of 61 months (48–79). The mean Eckardt score was significantly reduced from 7.7 ± 1.9 to 1.2 ± 0.6 (P &amp;lt; 0.001). All patients achieved post-POEM Eckardt scores of ≤3 at ≥48 months. BMI increased from 27.4 ± 6.5 pre-POEM to 29.4 ± 6.7 (P &amp;lt; 0.003) post-POEM. Twelve (31.5%) patients developed pathologic reflux. Conclusion POEM is an effective and safe procedure for achalasia with durable long-term outcomes. Larger series with longer follow-up are required to confirm these results.