Gastroesophageal reflux disease and patterns of reflux in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis using hypopharyngeal multichannel intraluminal impedance

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a diffuse fibrotic lung disease of unknown etiology. The association between IPF and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been suggested. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of GERD and assess the proximity of reflux events in patients with histologically proven IPF using hypopharyngeal multichannel intraluminal impedance (HMII). This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from patients with histologically confirmed IPF (via lung biopsy) who underwent objective esophageal physiology testing including high‐resolution manometry and HMII. Defective lower esophageal sphincter (LES) was defined as either LES pressure of <5.0 mmHg, total length of LES of <2.4 cm, or intra‐abdominal length of LES of <0.9 cm. Abnormal esophageal motility was considered present when failed swallows ≥30% and/or mean wave amplitude <30 mmHg was present. HMII used a specialized impedance catheter to directly measure laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) and full column reflux (reflux 2 cm distal to the upper esophageal sphincter). Based on the previous study of healthy subjects, abnormal proximal exposure was considered present when LPR ≥1/day and/or full column reflux ≥5/day were present. From October 2009 to June 2011, 46 patients were identified as having pulmonary fibrosis and sufficient HMII data. Of 46, 10 patients were excluded because of concomitant connective tissue diseases, and 8 patients were excluded because they had undergone lung transplantation, which may impact the patterns of reflux. The remaining 28 patients with histologically confirmed IPF (male 16, female 12) were included in this study. Mean age and BMI were 60.4 years (range, 41–78) and 28.4 (range, 21.1–38.1), respectively. All patients except one were symptomatic; 23 (82%) patients had concomitant typical GERD symptoms such as heartburn, whereas 4 (14%) patients had isolated pulmonary symptoms such as cough. Esophageal mucosal injury such as esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus was found in 17 (71%) patients, whereas hiatal hernia was found in 19 (73%) patients. Abnormal proximal exposure, which occurred almost exclusively in the upright position, was present in 54% (15/28) of patients. There was no significant difference in clinical symptoms, objective findings of GERD, and pulmonary functions such as forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO) between patients with and without abnormal proximal exposure. Although the total number of reflux events was significantly higher in patients with abnormal proximal exposure, a large number of patients had a negative DeMeester score regardless of whether abnormal proximal exposure was present (patients with, 80%; those without, 85%). Patients with abnormal proximal exposure more likely had a defective LES compared with those without (93% vs. 75%). Fourteen patients (56%) had abnormal esophageal motility including aperistaltic esophagus (n = 9). This first study of HMII in patients with IPF demonstrated that GERD is highly prevalent (>70%), and abnormal proximal reflux events such as LPR and full column reflux are common despite a frequently negative DeMeester score. HMII may be beneficial in the work‐up of GERD in patients with IPF.     

The acoustic cough monitoring and manometric profile of cough and throat clearing

Cough and throat clearing might be difficult to differentiate when trying to detect them acoustically or manometrically. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of acoustic monitoring for detecting cough and throat clearing, and to also determine whether these two symptoms present with different manometric profiles on esophageal pressure topography. Ten asymptomatic volunteers (seven females, mean age 31.1) were trained to simulate cough and throat clearing in a randomized order every 6 minutes during simultaneous acoustic monitoring and high‐resolution manometry. The accuracy of automated acoustic analysis and two blinded reviewers were compared. The pattern of the events and the duration of the pressure changes were assessed using the 30 mmHg isobaric contour. There were 50 cough and 50 throat‐clearing events according to the protocol. The sensitivity and specificity of automated acoustic analysis was 84% and 50% for cough, while the blinded analysis using sound revealed a sensitivity and specificity of 94% and 92%. The manometric profile of both cough and throat clearing was similar in terms of qualitative findings; however, cough was associated with a greater number of repetitive pressurizations and a more vigorous upper esophageal sphincter contraction compared with throat clearing. The acoustic analysis software has a moderate sensitivity and poor specificity to detect cough. The profile of cough and throat clearing in pressure topography revealed a similar qualitative pattern of pressurization with more vigorous pressure changes and a greater rate of repetitive pressurizations in cough.     

咽部异物感患者的高分辨率食管测压结果分析

目的：分析咽部异物感患者的高分辨率食管测压芝加哥分型分布情况,以及食管上、下括约肌的压力变化等食管动力学的特点。方法对21例咽部异物感患者（均排除咽喉部器质性疾病）进行高分辨率食管压力检测,以芝加哥分型为标准,分析食管动力学观察指标,包括食管上括约肌（upper esophageal sphincter ,UES）静息压、食管下括约肌（lower esophageal sphincter ,LES）静息压、远端收缩积分（distal contractile integral ,DCI）、4s完整松弛压（integrated relaxation pressure ,4s IRP）及远端潜伏期（distal latency ,DL）。结果21例患者中,10例（47．62％）为食管正常蠕动,4例为食管小缺损弱蠕动,6例为食管大缺损弱蠕动,1例为食管频发无蠕动;1例U ES平均静息压高于正常值上限,3例平均静息压低于正常值下限,其余均在正常范围内,U ES静息压的总体分布为65．20（44．25,123．05）mmHg ;21例患者的DCI、IRP4s、DL值均在正常范围,8例（38．1％）患者存在食管下括约肌静息压低于正常值,余均正常。结论咽部异物感可能与食管蠕动能力减弱及食管下括约肌压力降低相关。     

Update in achalasia: what the surgeon needs to know

Achalasia is a motility disorder encountered by surgeons during the investigation and treatment of dysphagia. Recent advances in manometry technology, a widely accepted new classification system and a new treatment rapidly gaining international acceptance, have changed the working knowledge required to successfully manage patients with achalasia. We review the Chicago classification subtypes of achalasia with type II achalasia being a predictor of success and type III achalasia a predictor of treatment failure. We review per‐oral endoscopic myotomy as an emerging treatment option and its potential for improving the treatment of type III achalasia.     

便秘主导型肠易激综合征患者结、直肠肛门动力学的临床研究--附50例检测分析

目的:研究便秘主导型肠易激综合征患者的结肠、直肠动力和直肠感觉功能.方法:用不透X线法的结肠传输试验检测50例便秘主导型肠易激综合征(constipation predominant irritable bowel syndrom,C-IBS)患者及42名正常受试者(对照组)的结肠传输时间(colonic transit time,CTT)和结肠传输指数(transit index,TI),并用结肠传输指数分型;同时用肛门直肠测压方法测定C-IBS患者和对照组的肛门直肠压力、直肠感觉阈值和直肠顺应性.结果:C-IBS患者的全结肠及各节段结肠传输时间均高于对照组,C-IBS患者的肛管静息压、直肠静息压与对照组比较差异均无统计学意义(P＞0.05),肛门括约肌最大收缩压低于对照组,最大耐受容量及直肠顺应性均明显高于对照组(P＜0.01),且发现不同传输类型的C-IBS患者的肛门直肠测压的结果不尽相同.结论:C-IBS患者存在结肠、肛门直肠动力及直肠感觉功能异常,结肠传输试验与肛门直肠测压相结合,更有助于明确便秘的类型.