Predictive factors of silent reflux in subjects with erosive esophagitis.

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic erosive esophagitis by definition is a condition lacking any reflux symptom. AIMS: We aimed to investigate the prevalence of asymptomatic erosive esophagitis in a general population undergoing periodic health checkup. METHODS: Consecutive subjects undergoing a medical checkup were enrolled for evaluation of reflux disease with upper endoscopy and a validated reflux questionnaire. The presence and severity of erosive esophagitis were evaluated. In all subjects, demographic characteristics and biochemical data were recorded, and sleep and psychological characteristics were assessed by means of self-administered Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score, Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire score, and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score. RESULTS: Of 2568 subjects eligible for this study, erosive esophagitis was found in 676 subjects (26.3%), in whom the proportions of asymptomatic and symptomatic erosive esophagitis were 59.2% (400 subjects) and 40.8% (276 subjects) respectively. At a univariate analysis, it was found that asymptomatic erosive esophagitis subjects were more frequently of female gender, of older age, with a lower level of education. They also showed less alcohol and tea consumption, less depression, less anxiety, lower serum level of triglyceride, and lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Multivariate analysis revealed that female sex (OR = 1.645, p = 0.0146) was a positive predictive factor for asymptomatic erosive esophagitis, whereas higher level of education (OR = 0.564, p = 0.044), higher Taiwanese Depression Questionnaire score (OR = 0.922, p < 0.001), and the presence of metabolic syndrome (OR = 0.625, p = 0.0379) were negative predictive factors. CONCLUSIONS: Asymptomatic erosive esophagitis is a common feature in otherwise healthy subjects and is independently associated with female gender, lower education level, less depression, and lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome.

Acupuncture effectiveness as a complementary therapy in functional dyspepsia patients.

CONTEXT: Functional dyspepsia represents a frequent gastrointestinal disorder in clinical practice. According to the Roma III criteria, functional dyspepsia can be classified into two types as the predominant symptom: epigastric pain and postprandial discomfort. Even though the pathophysiology is still uncertain, the functional dyspepsia seems to be related to multiple mechanisms, among them visceral hypersensitivity, changes in the gastroduodenal motility and gastric accommodation and psychological factors. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a complementary to conventional treatment in functional dyspepsia patients. METHODS: Randomized clinical trial in which were enrolled patients with functional dyspepsia patients in according with Rome III criteria. One group was submitted to drug therapy and specific acupuncture (GI) and the other to drug therapy and non-specific acupuncture (GII). The gastrointestinal symptoms, presence of psychiatric disorders and quality of life were evaluated, at the end and three months after treatment. RESULTS: After 4 weeks of treatment there was improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms in Group I (55 ± 12 vs 29 ± 8.8; P = 0.001) and Group II (50.5 ± 10.2 vs 46 ± 10.5; P = 0.001). Quality of life was significantly better in Group I than group II (93.4 ± 7.3 vs 102.4 ± 5.1; P = 0.001). Anxiety (93.3% vs 0%; P = 0.001) and depression (46.7% vs 0%; P = 0.004) were significantly lower in Group I than group II. When comparing the two groups after 4 weeks of treatment, gastrointestinal symptoms (29 ± 8.8 vs 46 ± 10.5; P<0.001) and quality of life (102.4 ± 5.1 vs 96 ± 6.1; P = 0.021) were significantly better in Group I than group II. Three months after the treatment, gastrointestinal symptoms remained better only in Group I, when compared to the pre-treatment values (38 ± 11.3 vs 55 ± 12; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: In patients with functional dyspepsia the complementary acupuncture treatment is superior to conventional treatment. Further studies with more patients are needed to confirm these findings.

Acupuncture effcctiveness as a complementary therapy in functional dyspepsia patients / Eficacia da acupuntura como terapia complementar em pacientes com dispepsia funcional

Context Functional dyspepsia represents a frequent gastrointestinal disorder in clinical practice. According to the Roma III criteria, functional dyspepsia can be classified into two types as the predominant sympton: epigastric pain and postprandial discomfort. Even though the pathophysiology is still uncertain, the functional dyspepsia seems to be related to multiple mechanisms, among them visceral hypersensitivity, changes in the gastroduodenal motility and gastric accommodation and psychological factors. Objective Evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a complementary to conventional treatment in functional dyspepsia patients. Methods Randomized clinical trial in which were enrolled patients with functional dyspepsia patients in according with Rome III criteria. One group was submitted to drug therapy and specific acupuncture (GI) and the other to drug therapy and non-specific acupuncture (GII). The gastrointestinal symptoms, presence of psychiatric disorders and quality of life were evaluated, at the end and three months after treatment. Results After 4 weeks of treatment there was improvement of gastrointestinal symptoms in Group I (55 ± 12 vs 29 ± 8.8; P = 0.001) and Group II (50.5 ± 10.2 vs 46 ± 10.5; P = 0.001). Quality of life was significantly better in Group I than group II (93.4 ± 7.3 vs 102.4 ± 5.1; P = 0.001). Anxiety (93.3% vs 0%; P = 0.001) and depression (46.7% vs 0%; P = 0.004) were significantly lower in Group I than group II. When comparing the two groups after 4 weeks of treatment, gastrointestinal symptoms (29 ± 8.8 vs 46 ± 10.5; P<0.001) and quality of life (102.4 ± 5.1 vs 96 ± 6.1; P = 0.021) were significantly better in Group I than group II. Three months after the treatment, gastrointestinal symptoms remained better only in Group I, when compared to the pre-treatment values (38 ± ...

Contexto A dispepsia funcional representa uma frequente desordem gástrica da prática clínica. Segundo os critérios de Roma III, pode ser subdividida em dois tipos: do tipo dor epigástrica e tipo desconforto pós prandial, de acordo com o sintoma predominante. Embora de fisiopatologia incerta, a dispepsia funcional parece estar relacionada a múltiplos mecanismos, entre eles: a hipersensibilidade visceral, alterações da motilidade gastroduodenal e acomodação gástrica e participação de fatores psíquicos. Objetivos Avaliar a eficácia da acupuntura como forma complementar ao tratamento medicamentoso em pacientes com dispepsia funcional. Método Ensaio clínico randomizado, com portadores de dispepsia funcional, segundo os critérios de Roma III. Dois grupos foram formados: Grupo I (terapia medicamentosa e acupuntura específica) e; II (terapia medicamentosa e acupuntura não específica). Foram avaliados o índice de sintomas gastrointestinais, a presença de transtornos psíquicos e a qualidade de vida no início, no fim e 3 meses após o tratamento. Resultados Após 4 semanas de tratamento houve melhora dos sintomas gastrointestinais no Grupo I (55 ± 12 vs 29 ± 8,8; P = 0,001) e no Grupo II (50 ± 10 vs 46 ± 10,5; P = 0,001). Na comparação intergrupos, os sintomas gastrintestinais (29 ± 8,8 vs 46 ± 10,5; P<0,001) e os sintomas de ansiedade (0% vs 41,7%; P = 0,003) foram significativamente menores no Grupo I e a qualidade de vida (102,4 ± 5,1 vs 96,4 ± 6,1; P = 0,021) também foi significativamente melhor neste grupo. Três meses após o tratamento, os sintomas gastrointestinais permaneceram melhores no Grupo I, quando comparados aos valores pré-tratamento (38 ± 11,3 vs 55 ...

Gastroesophageal reflux disease management according to contemporary international guidelines: a translational study.

AIM: To test the Genval recommendations and the usefulness of a short trial of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) in the initial management and maintenance treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients. METHODS: Five hundred and seventy seven patients with heartburn were recruited. After completing a psychometric tool to assess quality of life (PGWBI) and a previously validated GERD symptom questionnaire (QUID), patients were grouped into those with esophagitis (EE, n = 306) or without mucosal damage (NERD, n = 271) according to endoscopy results. The study started with a 2-wk period of high dose omeprazole (omeprazole test); patients responding to this PPI test entered an acute phase (3 mo) of treatment with any PPI at the standard dose. Finally, those patients with a favorable response to the standard PPI dose were maintained on a half PPI dose for a further 3-mo period. RESULTS: The test was positive in 519 (89.9%) patients, with a greater response in EE patients (96.4%) compared with NERD patients (82.6%) (P = 0.011). Both the percentage of completely asymptomatic patients, at 3 and 6 mo, and the reduction in heartburn intensity were significantly higher in the EE compared with NERD patients (P < 0.01). Finally, the mean PGWBI score was significantly decreased before and increased after therapy in both subgroups when compared with the mean value in a reference Italian population. CONCLUSION: Our study confirms the validity of the Genval guidelines in the management of GERD patients. In addition, we observed that the overall response to PPI therapy is lower in NERD compared to EE patients.