RESUMEN
Barrett's esophagus is a premalignant condition of reflux esophagitis and the prevalence is increasing in western countries. Although pathogenesis of Barrett's esophagus is still unknown, several studies have indicated that Barrett's esophagus is related to increased acid reflux through decreased lower esophageal sphincter tone and reduced esophageal contractions. In this article recent studies of Barrett's esophagus on pathophysiology of esophageal motility is reviewed.
Asunto(s)
Esófago de Barrett/fisiopatología , Esófago/fisiopatología , Motilidad Gastrointestinal , Esófago de Barrett/etiología , Esfínter Esofágico Inferior/fisiopatología , Reflujo Gastroesofágico/etiología , Humanos , Contracción Muscular , Tono Muscular , Músculo Liso/fisiopatologíaRESUMEN
Although reflux esophagitis (RE) is a common disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract in Western countries, its prevalence is still low in Asian countries, including Japan. On the other hand, the prevalence of H. pylori infection and atrophic gastritis are very high in Japan in comparison to that of other developed countries. Atrophic gastritis decreases gastric acid secretion, which is much lower in the Japanese compared to that in Western persons. The main mechanism of RE is reflux of gastric acid into the esophagus from the stomach. A decrease in gastric acid secretion induced by atrophic gastritis might prevent this acid reflux. This may be the reason RE is an uncommon disease in Japan.