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BACKGROUND/AIMS: Increased salivary pepsin could indicate an increase in gastro-esophageal reflux, however, previous studies failed to demonstrate a correlation between salivary pepsin concentrations and 24-hour esophageal acid exposure. This study aims to detect the salivary pepsin and to evaluate the relationship between salivary pepsin concentrations and intercellular spaces (IS) in different gastroesophageal reflux disease phenotypes in patients. METHODS: A total of 45 patients and 11 healthy volunteers were included in this study. All subjects underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, 24-hour ambulatory multichannel impedance-pH (MII-pH) monitoring, and salivary sampling at 3-time points during the 24-hour MII-pH monitoring. IS were measured by transmission electron microscopy, and salivary pepsin concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: The IS measurements were greater in the esophagitis (EE), non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), and hypersensitive esophagus (HO) groups than in the functional heartburn (FH) and healthy volunteer groups, and significant differences were indicated. Patients with NERD and HO had higher average pepsin concentrations compared with FH patients. A weak correlation was determined between IS and salivary pepsin among patients with NERD (r = 0.669, P = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed the presence of a higher level of salivary pepsin in patients with NERD than in patients with FH. Salivary pepsin concentrations correlated with severity of mucosal integrity impairment in the NERD group. We suggest that in patients with NERD, low levels of salivary pepsin can help identify patients with FH, in addition the higher the pepsin concentration, the more likely the severity of dilated IS.
Subject(s)
Humans , Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal , Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay , Esophagitis , Esophagus , Extracellular Space , Gastroesophageal Reflux , Healthy Volunteers , Heartburn , Microscopy, Electron, Transmission , Pepsin A , PhenotypeABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the correlation between dynamic changes in esophageal impedance and dilated intercellular space (DIS) of patients with acid-induced non erosive reflux disease (NERD).Methods From September 2013 to July 2014,a total of 35 patients with NERD and 20 healthy controls were selected and underwent 24 h multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH monitoring (MII-pH monitoring),acid perfusion test and gastroendoscopy examination.One piece of mucosa tissue was taken under gastroendoscope from the anterior and posterior walls at 2 cm above the dentate line of the esophagus.Intercellular space (ICS) of the esophageal epithelia cells was measured by software after hematoxylin and eosin staining.t test and variance analysis were performed for statistical analysis.Pearson correlation analysis was used for correlation analysis.Results Impedance baseline of distal esophagus and impedance recovery rate of patients with NERD were lower than those of healthy control group,which were (2 998±701) Ω vs (3 880±1 054) Ω and (30.1±14.0) Ω/min vs (53.0±14.5) Ω/min,and the differences were statistically significant (t=3.65,5.41;both P＜0.01).Compared with healthy control group,ICS of the esophageal epithelial cells was obviously wider (1.03 ± 0.20) μm vs (0.66±0.14) μm,and the difference was statistically significant (t=-6.57,P＜0.01).Impedance baseline of esophagus and impedance recovery rate of patients with positive acid perfusion test were lower than those of patients with negative acid perfusion test,which were (2 755±680) Ωvs (3 411±536) Ω and (25.4±13.0) Ω minvs (33.4±9.8) Ω /min,and the differences were statistically significant (t =2.99,2.03;both P＜0.05).The correlation between impedance recovery rate and ICS was negative (r=-0.70,P＜0.01).Conclusions Recurrent reflux induced injury and delayed mucosal headline may be the factors of impaired mucosal integrity in patients with NERD.The changes esophageal of impedance baseline to a certain extent reflected the degree of esophageal mucosal integrity impairment.
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ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between ineffective esophageal motility (IEM)and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).MethodsA total of 90 GERD patients were enrolled in our study,including 62 patients with reflux esophagitis (RE) and 28 with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD).All the patients underwent gastroscopy,24-hour esophageal pH monitoring and esophageal manometry.ResultsIn the RE group 30 (48.4％) patients were diagnosed as having IEM,which was significantly higher than the NERD group (6 patients,21.4％ ) (P＜0.05).Positive esophageal acid exposure was more often seen in patients with IEM than in those with normal esophageal motility (91.7％ v.s.57.2％,P ＜0.01 ).The values of total percentage of time with pH ＜4,percentage of reflux time in supine position,long-duration episodes ( ＞5 min) and the longest reflux time and DeMeester score were significantly higher in the IEM cases than those in the normal esophageal motility cases ( P ＜ 0.01 ),so was the values of number of reflux episodes (P ＜ 0.05).ConclusionIEM is the most common esophageal dysmotility in patients with GERD and closely related to distal esophageal acid exposure and RE.
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Background and aim The relationship between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Helicobacter pylori is controversial. We evaluated endoscopic, 24-h gastric and esophageal acid profile among patients with GERD in relation to H. pylori, as the latter might alter gastric acid secretion. Methods Patients with GERD (n=123), who were not on acid-suppressive drugs, and had not received anti-H. pylori therapy, underwent gastroduodenoscopy and tests for H. pylori detection. Esophageal manometry, 24-h pH metry, serum pepsinogen-I (PG-I), PG-II and gastrin-17 ELISA were done in all these patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess independent predictors for erosive esophagitis (EE). Results Of 123 patients (mean age 40.5 [13.1] years, 85 [69.1%] men), 59 (47.9%) had H. pylori infection. EE was more common in H. pylori non-infected than infected (49 vs. 32, p<0.001). Among patients older than 40 years, absence of H. pylori was associated with lower esophageal pH and longer reflux (p=0.02 and p<0.001, respectively). PG-I/PG-II ratio was lower in H. pylori infected subjects (p <0.001). In patients with higher LA grade of esophagitis, elevated PG-I levels and PG-I/PG-II ratio were associated with more acidic stomach (p=0.04 and p=0.01, respectively). Multivariate analyses showed low gastrin-17 (p=0.016), higher age (p=0.013), hiatus hernia (p=0.004) and absence of H. pylori (p=0.03) were independent predictors for risk of EE. Conclusion H. pylori infection is associated with less acidic stomach and less severe GERD. Low gastrin-17, higher age, hiatus hernia and absence of H. pylori were the best predictors for EE risk.
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Objective To determine the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients with idiopathic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis (IPIF). Methods From December 2006 to January 2008, 24 consecutive patients with IPIF admitted to Beijing Chaoyang Hospital underwent 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring and esophageal manometry. Meanwhile, 23 patients with diffuse parenchymal lung disease (DPLD) (excluding IPIF) admired to the hospital in the same period served as a control group. Comparison of the prevalence of pathologic esophageal acid exposure GERD symptoms, and ineffective esophageal motility (IEM) between the two groups was made. In this study, nocturnal acid exposure is defined as acid reflux episodes occurring from 10pro to 6am. Results (1) 16 out of the 24 (66. 7%) patients with IPIF were demonstrated to have pathologic esophageal acid exposure; the prevalence of GERD in IPIF patients was significantly higher than that in other DPLD patients, whose prevalence was 26. 1% (P<0.05); (2) 87.5% patients with IPIF and GERD (GERD-IPIF) had nocturnal acid exposure episodes; (3) only 37.5% of the GERD-IPIF patients was found to have typical GERD symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation; (4) The prevalence of IEM was similar in IPIF and other DPLD patients, being 42.9% and 39. 1% respectively (P >0. 05). Conclusions IPIF patients have higher prevalence of GERD and most of them usually do not show typical reflux symptoms. It is hereby suggested that IPIF patients should be screened with pH monitoring for GERD.
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Objective To elucidate cerebral cortical response to esophageal acid exposure in normal individuals by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and the characteristics of activity. Methods Fifteen volunteers were received intraesophageal perfusion with either 0.9% of sodium chloride or acid (0.1 mmol/L HC1) solutions. The modified block-design model of fMRI scanning was performed simultaneously. All of 32 minutes were needed for resting (A, 8 minutes), 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion (B,8 minutes), acid perfusion (C,8 minutes) and 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion again (D,8 minutes). Each chunk was consisted of 160 scans and every scan contained 3 seconds. Six hundred and forty scans were collected in all. The clinical response to esophageal acid exposure was observed and the changes in the cerebral regions was statistically analyzed. Results After perfusion of 0.9% of sodium chloride or acid, 10 out of 15 volunteers had chemosensitive complaints, such as pain in pars laryngen pharyngis, heartburn and chest complaint. The initial active domains involved deutocerebrum, anterior part of callosal gyrus, left side of insula, two sides of amygdale and subiculum hippocampi, two outers of forehead cortex. The provoked regions of acid perfusion (C-A) and 0.9% of sodium chloride perfusion again (D-A) were as same as that of the activated domains by initial perfusion of 0.9% sodium chloride (B-A). The intensity and amplitude of most provoked regions increased gradually(D-A> B-A, P< 0.01). Conclusions The two different stimulations of saline and acid provoke similar cerebral regions that may act in the regulation of esophageal sensitivity. There are the evidences of the central mechanism of esophageal visceral hypersensitivity by acid perfusion.
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Objective To determine the postprandial acid distributions in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and their potential relationship with esophageal acid exposure. Methods Esophageal and gastric pH were recorded in a 1 h fasting segment and a 4 h postprandial segments using a triple-channel pH catheter with three antimony electrodes, which were positioned 5 cm proximal to the upper margin of LES(LES-5 cm), 5 cm and 10 cm distal to the upper margin of LES(LES+5 cm and LES+10 cm), respectively. Esophageal acid exposure and gastric integrated acidity (IA) were calculated for each ambulatory pH study. Ten healthy subjects (HS) and 10 patients with GERD were enrolled. Results (1) Total postprandial IA had a trend to be lower at LES+5 cm than at LES+10 cm in HS, but there was no significant difference between the two positions in patients with GERD. (2)Two hours after meal, there was no significant difference of gastric IAs and baseline in HS. Whereas gastric IAs in patients with GERD returned back to a higher level than baseline: LES+5 cm: 5.4 (1.8-6.8) mmol/L?h vs 1.8(0.3-3.1) mmol/L?h (P