Vonoprazan and amoxicillin dual therapy as the first-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recent clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of vonoprazan-amoxicillin (VA) dual therapy as the first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection in different regions with inconsistent results reported. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of VA dual therapy compared to the currently recommended therapy for eradicating H. pylori. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase databases was performed using the following search terms: ("Helicobacter" OR "H. pylori" OR "Hp") AND ("vonoprazan" OR "potassium-competitive acid blocker" OR "P-CAB") AND ("amoxicillin" OR "penicillin") AND ("dual"). The primary outcome was to evaluate the eradication rate according to intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis. The secondary outcomes were adverse events and compliance. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies involving 4, 568 patients were included. The pooled eradication rate of VA dual therapy was 85.0% and 90.0% by intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis, respectively. The adverse events rate and compliance of VA dual therapy were 17.5% and 96%, respectively. The efficacy of VA dual therapy was superior to proton pump inhibitors-based triple therapy (82.0% vs. 71.4%, p < 0.01) but lower than vonoprazan-containing quadruple therapy (83.1% vs. 93.3%, p = 0.02). 7-day VA dual therapy showed lower eradication rates than 10-day (χ2 = 24.09, p < 0.01) and 14-day VA dual therapy (χ2 = 11.87, p < 0.01). The adverse events rate of VA dual therapy was lower than vonoprazan triple therapy (24.6% vs. 30.9%, p = 0.01) and bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (20.5% vs. 47.9%, p < 0.01). No significant difference of compliance was observed between VA dual therapy and each subgroup. CONCLUSION: VA dual therapy, a novel regimen, showed high efficacy as the first-line treatment for H. pylori eradication, which should be optimized before application in different regions.

A comparative study on the application of different endoscopic diagnostic methods in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant bile duct strictures.

Objective: To compare the diagnostic value of cytobrush, ERCP-guided biopsy, SpyGlass direct visual impression and SpyGlass-guided biospy (SpyBite) in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant bile duct strictures. Methods: The data of 1,008 patients who were clinically diagnosed with indeterminate biliary strictures and underwent ERCP-guided biopsy, cytobrush, SpyGlass direct visual impression or SpyBite at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University between January 2010 and December 2019 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The final diagnose was determined by surgical pathological specimen or follow-up (Malignant stricture can be identified if the stricture showed malignant progression during one year of follow-up). The differential diagnostic value of the above endoscopic diagnostic methods was evaluated by means of sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, etc. and safety was evaluated by the incidence rate of adverse events. Results: In terms of sensitivity, standard biopsy group (48.6%) and SpyBite group (61.5%) were significantly higher than cytobrush group (32.0%), and visual impression group (100%) was significantly higher than any other group. As far as specificity was concerned, cytobrush group (99.0%), standard biopsy group (99.3%) and the SpyBite group (100%) were significantly higher than visual impression (55.6%), but there was no statistical difference among the three groups above. As far as accuracy was concerned, standard biopsy group (65.3%), and SpyBite group (80.0%) were significantly higher than cytobrush group (44.4%), and SpyBite group (80.0%) was significantly higher than visual impression group (54.8%). In terms of safety, visual impression group and SpyBite group were significantly higher than cytobrush group and standard biopsy group in post-ERCP cholangitis. Conclusion: SpyBite combined with SpyGlass-guided visual impression was better for differential diagnosis of benign and malignant bile duct strictures in terms of sensitivity and accuracy compared with conventional endoscopic diagnostic methods such as cytobrush and standard biopsy. Furthmore, the incidence rates of adverse events after SpyGlass examination was similar to those after conventional endoscopic diagnostic methods except for higher cholangitis, which could be controlled by antibiotics and might be avoided by adequate biliary drainage.

Expression and prognostic significance of the DNA damage response pathway and autophagy markers in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. We assessed the expression patterns of DNA damage response (DDR)-related markers, including ATM, CHK2, p-p53 (S15), Rad51, and BRCA2 and autophagy-related proteins including p62 and Beclin-1 in 153 GC specimens using immunohistochemistry staining. GC tissues showed lower levels of ATM, CHK2, p-p53, BRCA2, and higher levels of Rad51 compared to adjacent normal tissues. The autophagy-related protein p62 was upregulated, whereas Beclin-1 was downregulated in human GC groups. Additionally, different statuses of DDR pathways and autophagy characterized by protein expression were associated with overall survival. Our results indicated that the impairment of DNA damage and autophagy may be implicated in gastric cancer progression and its clinical prognosis.

Second-look endoscopy-guided therapy under sedation prevents early rebleeding after variceal ligation for acute variceal bleeding.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether second-look endoscopy (SLE)-guided therapy could be used to prevent post-endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL) early bleeding. METHODS: Consecutive cirrhotic patients with large esophageal varices (EV) receiving successful EVL for acute variceal bleeding (AVB) or secondary prophylaxis were enrolled. The patients were randomized into a SLE group and a non-SLE group (NSLE) 10 days after EVL. Additional endoscopic interventions as well as proton pump inhibitors and octreotide administration were applied based on the SLE findings. The post-EVL early rebleeding and mortality rates were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 252 patients were included in the final analysis. Post-EVL early rebleeding (13.5% vs 4.8%, P = 0.016) and bleeding-caused mortality (4.8% vs 0%, P = 0.013) were more frequently observed in the NSLE group than in the SLE group. However, post-EVL early rebleeding and mortality rates were reduced by SLE in patients receiving EVL for AVB only but not in those receiving secondary prophylaxis. Patients with Child-Pugh classification B to C at randomization (hazard ratio [HR] 8.77, P = 0.034), AVB at index EVL (HR 3.62, P = 0.003), discontinuation of non-selective ß-blocker after randomization (HR 4.68, P = 0.001) and non-SLE (HR 2.63, P = 0.046) were more likely to have post-EVL early rebleeding. No serious adverse events occurred during SLE. CONCLUSION: SLE-guided therapy reduces post-EVL early rebleeding and mortality rates in cirrhotic patients with large EV receiving EVL for AVB.

Cap-Assisted Endoscopic Sclerotherapy vs Ligation in the Long-Term Management of Medium Esophageal Varices: A Randomized Trial.

INTRODUCTION: Compared with endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL), cap-assisted endoscopic sclerotherapy (CAES) improves efficacy in the treatment of small esophageal varices (EVs) but has not been evaluated in the management of medium EVs. The aim of this study was to compare CAES with EVL in the long-term management of patients exhibiting cirrhosis with medium EVs and a history of esophageal variceal bleeding (EVB), with respect to variceal eradication and recurrence, adverse events, rebleeding, and survival. METHODS: Cirrhotic patients with medium EVs and a history of EVB were divided randomly into EVL and CAES groups. EVL or CAES was repeated each month until variceal eradication. Lauromacrogol was used as a sclerosant. Patients were followed up until 1 year after eradication. RESULTS: In total, 240 patients (age: 51.1 ± 10.0 years; men: 70.8%) were included and randomized to the EVL and CAES groups. The recurrence rate of EVs was much lower in the CAES group than in the EVL group (13.0% vs 30.7%, P = 0.001). The predictors for variceal recurrence were eradication by EVL (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.37, P = 0.04), achievement of complete eradication (HR: 0.27, P < 0.001), and nonselective ß-blocker response (HR: 0.32, P = 0.003). There was no significant difference in the rates of eradication, rebleeding, requirement for alternative therapy, and mortality or the incidence of complications between groups. DISCUSSION: CAES reduces the recurrence rate of EVs with comparable safety to that of EVL in the long-term management of patients presenting cirrhosis with medium EVs and a history of EVB.

Causes associated with recurrent choledocholithiasis following therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: A large sample sized retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Recurrence of primary choledocholithiasis commonly occurs after complete removal of stones by therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). The potential causes of the recurrence of choledocholithiasis after ERCP are unclear. AIM: To analyze the potential causes of the recurrence of choledocholithiasis after ERCP. METHODS: The ERCP database of our medical center for the period between January 2007 and January 2016 was retrospectively reviewed, and information regarding eligible patients who had choledocholithiasis recurrence was collected. A 1:1 case-control study was performed for this investigation. Data including general characteristics of the patients, past medical history, ERCP-related factors, common bile duct (CBD)-related factors, laboratory indicators, and treatment was analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysisly. RESULTS: First recurrence of choledocholithiasis occurred in 477 patients; among these patients, the second and several instance (≥ 3 times) recurrence rates were 19.5% and 44.07%, respectively. The average time to first choledocholithiasis recurrence was 21.65 mo. A total of 477 patients who did not have recurrence were selected as a control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age > 65 years (odds ratio [OR] = 1.556; P = 0.018), combined history of choledocholithotomy (OR = 2.458; P < 0.01), endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (OR = 5.679; P = 0.000), endoscopic sphincterotomy (OR = 3.463; P = 0.000), CBD stent implantation (OR = 5.780; P = 0.000), multiple ERCP procedures (≥2; OR = 2.75; P = 0.000), stones in the intrahepatic bile duct (OR = 2.308; P = 0.000), periampullary diverticula (OR = 1.627; P < 0.01), choledocholithiasis diameter ≥ 10 mm (OR = 1.599; P < 0.01), bile duct-duodenal fistula (OR = 2.69; P < 0.05), combined biliary tract infections (OR = 1.057; P < 0.01), and no preoperative antibiotic use (OR = 0.528; P < 0.01) were independent risk factors for the recurrence of choledocholithiasis after ERCP. CONCLUSION: Patient age greater than 65 years is an independent risk factor for the development of recurrent choledocholithiasis following ERCP, as is history of biliary surgeries, measures during ERCP, and prevention of postoperative complications.

Outcomes of endoscopic sphincterotomy vs open choledochotomy for common bile duct stones.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic sphincterotomy (EST) for the management of common bile duct stones (CBDS) is used increasingly widely because it is a minimally invasive procedure. However, some clinical practitioners argued that EST may be complicated by post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis (PEP) and accompanied by a higher recurrence of CBDS than open choledochotomy (OCT). Whether any differences in outcomes exist between these two approaches for treating CBDS has not been thoroughly elucidated to date. AIM: To compare the outcomes of EST vs OCT for the management of CBDS and to clarify the risk factors associated with stone recurrence. METHODS: Patients who underwent EST or OCT for CBDS between January 2010 and December 2012 were enrolled in this retrospective study. Follow-up data were obtained through telephone or by searching the medical records. Statistical analysis was carried out for 302 patients who had a follow-up period of at least 5 years or had a recurrence. Propensity score matching (1:1) was performed to adjust for clinical differences. A logistic regression model was used to identify potential risk factors for recurrence, and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated for qualifying independent risk factors. RESULTS: In total, 302 patients undergoing successful EST (n = 168) or OCT (n = 134) were enrolled in the study and were followed for a median of 6.3 years. After propensity score matching, 176 patients remained, and all covariates were balanced. EST was associated with significantly shorter time to relieving biliary obstruction, anesthetic duration, procedure time, and hospital stay than OCT (P < 0.001). The number of complete stone clearance sessions increased significantly in the EST group (P = 0.009). The overall incidence of complications and mortality did not differ significantly between the two groups. Recurrent CBDS occurred in 18.8% (33/176) of the patients overall, but no difference was found between the EST (20.5%, 18/88) and OCT (17.0%, 15/88) groups. Factors associated with CBDS recurrence included common bile duct (CBD) diameter > 15 mm (OR = 2.72; 95%CI: 1.26-5.87; P = 0.011), multiple CBDS (OR = 5.09; 95%CI: 2.58-10.07; P < 0.001), and distal CBD angle ≤ 145° (OR = 2.92; 95%CI: 1.54-5.55; P = 0.001). The prediction model incorporating these factors demonstrated an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.81 (95%CI: 0.76-0.87). CONCLUSION: EST is superior to OCT with regard to time to biliary obstruction relief, anesthetic duration, procedure time, and hospital stay and is not associated with an increased recurrence rate or mortality compared with OCT in the management of CBDS.

IL-25 protects against high-fat diet-induced hepatic steatosis in mice by inducing IL-25 and M2a macrophage production.

Interleukin (IL)-25 is a cytokine that has previously been shown to have a protective role against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is associated with the induction of M2 macrophage differentiation. However, the direct relationships between IL-25 expression regulation, M2 induction and NAFLD remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that IL-25 promotes hepatic macrophage differentiation into M2a macrophages both in vivo and in vitro via the IL-13/STAT6 pathway. M2 macrophages that were differentiated in vitro were able to ameliorate high-fat diet HFD-induced hepatic steatosis. Furthermore, we found that IL-25 treatment, both in vitro and in vivo, promotes direct binding of STAT6 to the IL-25 gene promoter region. This binding of STAT6 in response to IL-25 treatment also resulted in the increase of IL-25 expression in hepatocytes. Together, these findings identify IL-25 as a protective factor against HFD-induced hepatic steatosis by inducing an increase of IL-25 expression in hepatocytes and through promotion of M2a macrophage production.

Evaluation of first-line bismuth-containing 7-day concomitant quintuple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is difficult to cure, mainly due to antibiotic resistance. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of 7-day bismuth-containing concomitant quintuple regimen for H. pylori eradication. METHODS: Conducted from August 2015 to February 2016 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, this prospective trial enrolled 70 untreated patients who were positive for H. pylori. The patients received 7-day quintuple therapy consisting of bismuth subcitrate 220 mg, esomeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg, amoxicillin 1 g and metronidazole 400 mg, each was given twice daily. All patients underwent a 13 C-urea breath test at 4 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients at a mean age of 43.5 years, including 36 men, were included in this trial. One person who violated the protocol was further excluded. The treatment compliance rate was 99.6%. The overall eradication rates of the 7-day bismuth-containing concomitant quintuple therapy were 75.4% (intention-to-treat analysis) and 86.7% (per-protocol analysis). The prevalence of side effects was 31.9%, including a bitter taste (23.2%), nausea (4.3%), dizziness (2.9%), diarrhea (2.9%), limb asthenia (2.9%), skin rash (1.4%), numbness of the tip of the tongue (1.4%) and insomnia (1.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The 7-day bismuth-containing concomitant quintuple therapy may not be superior to traditionally widely accepted therapy due to its lack of acceptable efficacy and high rate of side effects.

Natural history of covert hepatic encephalopathy: An observational study of 366 cirrhotic patients.

AIM: To explore the natural history of covert hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) in absence of medication intervention. METHODS: Consecutive outpatient cirrhotic patients in a Chinese tertiary care hospital were enrolled and evaluated for CHE diagnosis. They were followed up for a mean of 11.2 ± 1.3 mo. Time to the first cirrhosis-related complications requiring hospitalization, including overt HE (OHE), resolution of CHE and death/transplantation, were compared between CHE and no-CHE patients. Predictors for complication(s) and death/transplantation were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 366 patients (age: 47.2 ± 8.6 years, male: 73.0%) were enrolled. CHE was identified in 131 patients (35.8%). CHE patients had higher rates of death and incidence of complications requiring hospitalization, including OHE, compared to unimpaired patients. Moreover, 17.6% of CHE patients developed OHE, 42.0% suffered persistent CHE, and 19.8% of CHE spontaneously resolved. In CHE patients, serum albumin < 30 g/L (HR = 5.22, P = 0.03) was the sole predictor for developing OHE, and blood creatinine > 133 µmol/L (HR = 4.75, P = 0.036) predicted mortality. Child-Pugh B/C (HR = 0.084, P < 0.001) and OHE history (HR = 0.15, P = 0.014) were predictors of spontaneous resolution of CHE. CONCLUSION: CHE exacerbates, persists or resolves without medication intervention in clinically stable cirrhosis. Triage of patients based on these predictors will allow for more cost-effect management of CHE.

Helicobacter pylori Infection Synergistic with IL-1ß Gene Polymorphisms Potentially Contributes to the Carcinogenesis of Gastric Cancer.

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is the most common chronic bacterial infection in the world and the etiological agent for most gastric cancer (GC). Interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) is a potent proinflammatory cytokine, and its deregulation is closely associated with the tumorigenesis of several cancers. Recent studies have revealed that the IL-1ß-31 and -511T alleles are closely associated with gastric carcinogenesis due to their roles in the induction of gastric precancerous lesions and hypochlorhydria. Furthermore, H. pylori infection has a synergistic effect on the development of GC with IL-1ß gene polymorphisms, and the highest prevalence of severe gastric abnormalities are found in patients with both host and bacterial high-risk genotypes (cagA(+)/vacAs1(+)/IL-1ß-511T). Therefore, these recent advances demonstrate that H. pylori synergistic with IL-1ß gene polymorphisms contribute to the gastric carcinogenesis by their involvement in precancerous gastric lesions and low gastric acid secretion.

Gastric ulcer patients are more susceptible to developing gastric cancer compared with concomitant gastric and duodenal ulcer patients.

Intestinal metaplasia (IM) and dysplasia are precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (GC); however, the prevalence of IM and dysplasia in patients exhibiting single gastric ulcer (GU) and concomitant gastric and duodenal ulcer (CGDU) varies. In the present study consecutive patients who had undergone esophagogastroduodenal endoscopy were retrospectively screened, and those presenting with GU or CGDU were further evaluated for IM and dysplasia. Patients diagnosed with GC or lymphoma and patients with a history of anti-Helicobacter pylori, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicine (NSAIM), H2-receptor antagonist or proton pump inhibitor therapy, were excluded from the present study. Of the 204,073 consecutively screened cases, 8,855 (4.3%) and 2,397 (1.2%) were diagnosed with GU and CGDU, respectively. A total of 1,722 GU and 233 CGDU patients were excluded; thus, 7,133 and 2,164 cases of GU and CGDU, respectively (n=9,297), were included in the present study. IM and dysplasia were observed in 1,348 (14.5%) and 210 (2.3%) patients, respectively. IM was more frequently identified in GU patients compared with CGDU patients (16.4 vs. 8.3%; odds ratio [OR], 2.158; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.830-2.545; χ2=86.932; P<0.001); furthermore, GU patients exhibited significantly more frequent IM compared with CGDU patients at the gastric antrum (14.2 vs. 5.5%; OR, 2.818; 95% CI, 2.199-3.610; χ2=72.299; P<0.001), gastric incisura (24.0 vs. 14.1%; OR, 1.922; 95% CI, 1.502-2.432; χ2=30.402; P<0.001) and gastric corpus (12.6 vs. 3.3%; OR, 4.259; 95% CI, 1.030-17.609; χ2=4.736; P=0.026). Dysplasia was significantly more frequently identified in GU patients compared with CGDU patients (2.7 vs. 0.7%; OR, 4.027; 95% CI, 2.376-6.823; χ2=31.315; P<0.001), with GU patients exhibiting significantly more severe dysplasia at the gastric antrum (2.4 vs. 0.7%; OR, 3.339; 95% CI, 1.735-6.425; χ2=14.652; P<0.001) and the gastric incisura (2.9 vs. 0.7%; OR, 4.255; 95% CI, 1.694-10.689; χ2=11.229; P<0.001). Additionally, mild IM was more frequently identified in GU patients compared with CGDU patients (15.2 vs. 7.1%; OR, 2.353; 95% CI, 1.972-2.807; χ2=94.798; P<0.001) and dysplasia of a mild (1.7 vs. 0.6%; OR, 2.807; 95% CI, 1.580-4.987; χ2=13.519; P<0.001) or moderate/severe grade (1.1 vs. 0.09%; OR, 11.642; 95% CI, 2.857-47.439; χ2=18.896; P<0.001) was more frequent in GU patients compared with CGDU patients. IM and dysplasia were more frequently observed in GU compared with CGDU patients in the present study, which may be associated with an increased probability of developing GC.

Risk factors for intestinal metaplasia in concomitant gastric and duodenal ulcer disease.

The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of intestinal metaplasia (IM) in concomitant gastric and duodenal ulcer (CGDU) disease by retrospectively reviewing consecutive patients who had undergone esophagogastroduodenal endoscopy. Patients who received the endoscopic diagnosis of CGDU disease were selected for analysis and the recorded demographic, endoscopic, clinical and outcome data, including data on the development of IM, were extracted. Associations of the various parameters with IM were estimated by logistic regression analysis and described by the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Among the total 204,073 consecutive patients screened, 2,397 (1.2%) were diagnosed with CGDU disease. Following application of the exclusion criteria, a total of 2,149 cases were included in the study. The IM prevalence was 8.4%, represented by 153 mild cases, 26 moderate cases and one severe case. Multivariate analysis identified age ≥50 years (OR=2.606, 95% CI=1.889-3.597, χ2=34.000, P<0.001), ulcer at the gastric incisura (OR=2.644, 95% CI=1.926-3.630, χ2=36.142, P<0.001) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection (OR=2.338, 95% CI=1.573-3.474, χ2=17.648, P<0.001) as independent risk factors for the development of IM. In addition, the moderate and severe IM grades were more frequently detected in males than in females (18.8% vs. 5.8%; OR=3.769, 95% CI=1.083-13.121, χ2=4.887, P=0.036). IM in patients with CGDU disease is not uncommon. CGDU patients with ongoing H. pylori infection, gastric incisura involvement, older age and/or male gender may be at a higher risk of IM.

[The comparison of different clinical scoring systems for predicting prognosis in acute pancreatitis based on the revised Atlanta classification].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the predictive value of BISAP (bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis), APACHE II (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II), and Ranson scoring system in persistent organ failure (POF) and mortality in patients diagnosed as acute pancreatitis (AP) based on the revised Atlanta classification. METHODS: Demographic, clinical and laboratory data of 350 consecutive AP patients admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were prospectively collected from November, 2009 to January, 2012. A retrospective analysis was performed and 310 patients finished the follow-up. The median age of whole population was (50.5 ± 16.4) years old. Patients were classified into early phase group ( ≤ 7 days) and late phase group ( > 7 days) based on the interval between onset of AP and admission. Demographics and clinical data were collected to calculate Ranson, APACHE II and BISAP scores during the first 3 days of hospitalization. Poor prognosis was defined as POF or death. RESULTS: The three scoring systems similarly demonstrated modest accuracy for predicting POF or death in early phase group [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCROC):0.68-0.84], but failed to predict the prognosis of AP patients in late phase group. Daily scoring of APACHE IIand BISAP on the first 3 days after admission demonstrated modest to high predictive accuracy to poor prognosis (AUCROC:0.69-0.95), but this was not statistically significant (P > 0.05) . CONCLUSIONS: These three clinical scoring systems show modest accuracy for predicting POF or death in AP patients on the early phase based on the revised Atlanta classification. The BISAP scoring system has similar prognostic value to APACHE II and Ranson. However, due to the simplicity and convenience, BISAP scoring system is more popular in clinical practice. Daily scoring on the first 3 days after admission fails to predict the prognosis accurately.

Predictors of clinical response of acid suppression in Chinese patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

BACKGROUND: Up to 40% of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease fail to respond to proton pump inhibitor therapy. AIMS: To determine predictors of clinical response of proton pump inhibitor therapy. METHODS: Consecutive patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease were enrolled prospectively. All patients underwent upper endoscopy and 24-h multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH monitoring before receiving esomeprazole 20 mg b.i.d. for 2 months. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictors of clinical response to proton pump inhibitor therapy. RESULTS: A total of 204 patients with typical reflux symptoms were recruited and screened. Among them 153 patients (mean age 46.3 ± 10.6 years, 51.0% female) completed all the examinations and were assigned to proton pump inhibitor therapy. Ninety-five patients (62.1%) responded to acid suppression after 2 months. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that the predictor for response was pathological distal esophageal acid reflux (P = 0.001). The factors associated with proton pump inhibitor therapy failure were the presence of irritable bowel syndrome alone (P = 0.006), depression (P = 0.005), and overlap of irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical response of acid suppression on gastroesophageal reflux disease could be predicted by clinical and pH parameters rather than impedance data.