Extraesophageal Manifestations of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease / 대한내과학회지

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is prevalent in Korea. Clinical manifestations include typical symptoms which are heartburn and regurgitation and atypical symptoms that can be esophageal or extraesophageal. Various extraesophageal manifestations are associated with GERD, and the most significant of these are chronic cough, laryngitis, and asthma. The diagnosis of extraesophageal syndrome is often difficult due to the poor sensitivity and specificity of available diagnostic modalities, including endoscopy, pH monitoring, and laryngoscopy. Consequently, empirical treatment with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is considered to be the most cost-effective tool for the diagnosis and management of patients suspected of having extraesophageal syndrome without alarm features. Those who do not respond to PPI therapy should undergo an additional work-up that includes monitoring esophageal pH or impedance, and motility tests to evaluate the relationship between reflux and symptoms. Surgical management should cautiously be considered for very carefully selected patients.

Diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease: Esophageal and extraesophageal manifestations / 대한내과학회지

The manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been classified into either esophageal or extraesophageal symptoms. Esophageal manifestations include classic symptoms of reflux, such as heartburn and regurgitation, and atypical noncardiac chest pain. Laryngitis, chronic cough, hoarseness, asthma or dental erosion are classified as extraesophageal symptoms, and they have a common pathophysiology, including microaspiration of gastric content into the larynx and pharynx, and vagally mediated bronchospasm and laryngospasm. In extraesophageal GERD, patients usually do not display the classic symptoms, so it is difficult to confirm the diagnosis of GERD. Endoscopy and pH monitoring have proved to have poor sensitivity and therefore are often not diagnostically helpful. Recently, anti-secretory therapy by proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is thought to be well-established, cost-effective tool and it is broadly used as both a diagnostic trial and as a therapeutic management. Diagnostic testing, such as pH monitoring, may be useful in those with partial or poor response to the initial treatment with PPI.

Extraesophageal Manifestations of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease / 대한소화기학회지

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) often presents as typical symptoms such as heartburn or acid regurgitation. However, a subgroup of patients presents a collection of symptoms and signs that are not directly related to esophageal damage. These are known collectively as the extraesophageal manifestations of GERD, such as non-cardiac chest pain, laryngitis, chronic cough, hoarseness, asthma or dental erosion. They have a common pathophysiology, involving microaspiration of acid into the larynx and pharynx, and vagally mediated bronchospasm and laryngospasm. The role of extraesophageal reflux in such disorders is underestimated due to often silent symptoms and difficult confirmation of diagnosis. Endoscopy and pH monitoring are insensitive and therefore not useful in many patients as diagnostic modalities. Thus, anti-secretory therapy by proton pump inhibitor is used as both a diagnostic trial and as a therapy in the majority. Attention to optimizing therapy and judicious use of endoscopy and reflux monitoring are needed to maximize treatment success.