Antireflux surgery vs medical treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease: A meta-analysis

AIM: To compare the effect of antireflux surgery with medicine in treating gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD) patients using meta- analysis.METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library were searched. We only included randomized controlled trials(RCTs) comparing the effect of surgical intervention with medical therapy for GERD. Statistical analyses were performed using Rev Man 5.2 and STATA 12.0 software. Rev Man 5.2 was used to assess the risk of bias and calculate the pooled effect size, while Stata 12.0 was used to evaluate publication bias and for sensitivity analysis. We evaluated the primary outcomes with GERD-/health-related quality of life in short(one to three years) and long(three to twelve years) periods of follow-up. Secondary outcomes evaluated were De Meester scores and the percentage of time that p H 4 to evaluate the degree of acid exposure.RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 7 studies with 1972 patients. It showed a positive effect of antireflux surgery compared with medical treatment in terms of health-related quality of life [standardized mean difference(SMD) = 0.18; 95%CI: 0.01 to 0.34] and GERD-related quality of life(SMD = 0.35; 95%CI: 0.11 to 0.59). We also conducted the subgroup analyses based on follow-up periods and found that surgery remained more effective than medicine over the short to medium follow-up time, but the advantage of antireflux surgery probably not maintained for long time. GERD-related quality of life in the surgical group was significantly higher than medical group for the 3 years follow-up(SMD = 0.45; 95%CI: 0.23 to 0.66); the difference was not statistically significant when the follow-up time was ≥ 3 years(SMD = 0.30; 95%CI:-0.10 to 0.69). Meta-analysis showed a statistically significant difference between thesurgical group and medical group in the percentage of time that p H 4(SMD = 0.38; 95%CI: 0.14 to 0.61). Meta-analysis indicated a positive effect of antireflux surgery compared with medical treatment concerning De Meester scores(SMD = 0.32; 95%CI: 0.00 to 0.65).CONCLUSION: Although both were effective, in some respects surgical intervention was more effective than medical therapy to treat GERD when follow-up time was up to three years.     

胃食管反流病发病机制的争论

胃食管反流病 (gastroesophagealrefluxdisease,GERD)是由于下食管括约肌 (loweresophagealsphincter,LES)功能障碍引起胃内容物反流入食管 ,以致食管下段黏膜较长时间与酸性 ,或酸性加碱性反流物接触 ,使该处黏膜发生化学性炎症。反流物刺激食管黏膜可引起一系列慢性症状和食管黏膜损害。GERD的发病机制是对立统一破坏的结果 ,即当食管黏膜上皮与胃内容物长时间接触时 ,反流物的攻击力超出健康食管上皮的承受能力 ;或上皮与胃内容物接触时间基本正常 ,但反流物攻击力强、食管存在上皮缺陷时 ,均足以产生食管黏膜损伤、GERD ,甚至食管…     

胃食管反流病的治疗

胃食管反流病(gastroesophageal reflux disease，GERD)是消化系统的常见病和多发病，严重影响人民的生活质量。在西方国家患病率近人口的半数左右，在我国发病率尚缺少大样本的调查，在北京等地区的发病率在5％～6％。该病主要是由于过多的胃、十二指肠内容物反流入食道，引起反酸、反食、烧心和胸骨后疼痛等症状。胃食管反流病可分为两个亚型，内镜下可见食管黏膜破损者，称糜烂性食管炎(erosive esophagitis，EE)。如果内镜检查没有明显的食管黏膜的破损，但有因胃食管反流引起的烧心、反酸等症状，24小时pH监测有异常酸暴露者，称为非糜烂性食管炎(nonerosive negative reflux disesase，NERD)。     

Endoscopic treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease

The endoscopic treatment as a minimally invasive method to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) came to be tried in addition to medication and laparoscopic antireflux surgery. Clinical trials, such as the Endoluminal Gastroplication method, the Full Thickness Plicator method, the Stretta method, the Enteryx method, and the Gatekeeper method, are advancing in the United States and Europe. It is necessary to consider the efficacy, safety, durability, cost effectiveness, an indication, etc. using data from a randomized controlled trial with sufficient observation period. If the usefulness of endoscopic treatment is confirmed in the future, the new minimally invasive strategy over GERD will be established.     

Endoscopic therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease

A variety of endoscopic techniques for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) have been developed as alternatives to PPI therapy or antireflux surgery. These techniques include the delivery of radiofrequency energy to the gastroesophageal junction, injection of agents into the lower esophageal sphincter zone, and suture plication of the proximal fundic folds. Each of these endoscopic techniques is designed to alter the anatomy or physiology of the gastroesophageal junction to decrease gastroesophageal reflux. However, only limited data are available on the mechanism of action of the various endoscopic techniques. Most studies of endoscopic therapy have only limited follow-up information, and safety issues remain unresolved. Further sham-controlled clinical trials will be required for endoscopic device and technique.     

Medical therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition that ranges from mild, intermittent symptoms to more severe cases of esophageal strictures and possibly adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The etiology of GERD is multifactorial, although transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations are thought to play an important role in addition to poor esophageal clearance and weak lower esophageal sphincter pressures. Lifestyle modifications and over-the-counter medications may be used to treat GERD. After these methods are tried, therapy with histamine receptor type 2 antagonists is the best treatment, although increasingly, proton pump inhibitors are being used. Long-term therapy needs to be maintained in patients with GERD, in contrast to those patients with peptic ulcer disease. The role of lifestyle modifications is described, and the costs of the various regimens are compared.     

Guideline for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease

The endpoints should be settled before the treatment of GERD. These are symptom relief, healing and maintenance of erosive or ulcerative lesions, and also probably prevention of several complications of GERD. In medical treatment for GERD, we can take some different strategies, that is, single-agent, step-up or step-down therapy. The authors reviewed the effects of many drugs, being used for GERD therapy, and decided the levels of therapeutic effects from the view point of EBM. Using these results, we recommended that the therapy of GERD should be started with PPI of a regular dose and stepped-down in usual cases, but it should be begun with PPI and stepped-up in refractory cases. PPI may be necessary also for maintenance treatment in most latter cases. The guideline of the treatment for GERD were discussed.     

Combination drug therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of combination therapy with proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine(2) receptor antagonists in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). DATA SOURCES: Clinical literature identified through MEDLINE (January 1966-August 2001). Key search terms included gastroesophageal reflux, benzimidazoles; omeprazole; lansoprazole; pantoprazole; rabeprazole; receptor antagonists, histamine(2); therapy, combination drug; therapy, combined modality; and combinations, drug. DATA SYNTHESIS: Approximately 80-90% of patients show healing of reflux esophagitis after 8 weeks of once-daily PPI therapy. Patients taking PPI therapy twice daily still have nocturnal acid breakthrough (periods of gastric pH <4 lasting for > or =60 min during the night) as much as 70% of the time. The clinical application of this finding has not been shown. One trial has shown that omeprazole in the morning plus ranitidine at bedtime is not as effective as omeprazole twice daily given before the morning and evening meals at controlling nocturnal acid breakthrough. Further, 1 small trial in healthy subjects without GERD showed that the addition of a 1-time dose of ranitidine at bedtime to a twice-daily regimen of omeprazole may decrease the occurrence of nocturnal acid breakthrough. However, the clinical significance of this finding is not clear. CONCLUSIONS: No studies in patients with GERD demonstrate that the addition of histamine(2) receptor antagonists to twice-daily PPI therapy provides any further benefit above that derived from PPIs alone. The parameter used to measure the efficacy of combination regimens for GERD thus far--nocturnal acid breakthrough--has not been proven to correlate with improvement of GERD symptoms in any controlled or prospective clinical trials. Further investigation is needed to determine optimal therapy in patients refractory to standard doses of PPIs.     

Management of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is the most common and expensive digestive disease with complex and multi-factorial pathophysiologic mechanisms. Transient inappropriate relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter is the predominant mechanism in the majority of patients with mild to moderate disease. Hiatal hernias and a reduced lower esophageal sphincter pressure have a significant role in patients with moderate to severe disease. Typical manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease include heartburn, regurgitation, and dysphagia. Atypical symptoms, such as noncardiac chest pain, pulmonary manifestations of asthma, cough, aspiration pneumonia, or ENT manifestations of globus and laryngitis, can be seen in patients with or without typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Endoscopy and ambulatory pH tests are best to evaluate the anatomic and physiologic impact ofgastroesophageal reflux disease. Complications of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease include peptic strictures and Barrett metaplasia. Barrett esophagus is a major risk factor for esophageal adenocarcinoma, and upper endoscopy with surveillance biopsies is recommended for patients with Barrett esophagus. Medical therapy with anti-secretory agents (H2 blockers and proton pump inhibitors) is effective for most patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. Surgical fundoplications and endoscopic treatment modalities are mechanical treatment options for patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.     

Management of gastroesophageal reflux disease

The primary treatment goals in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease are relief of symptoms, prevention of symptom relapse, healing of erosive esophagitis, and prevention of complications of esophagitis. In patients with reflux esophagitis, treatment is directed at acid suppression through the use of lifestyle modifications (e.g., elevating the head of the bed, modifying the size and composition of meals) and pharmacologic agents (a histamine H2-receptor antagonist [H2RA] taken on demand or a proton pump inhibitor IPPI] taken 30 to 60 minutes before the first meal of the day). The preferred empiric approach is step-up therapy (treat initially with an H2RA for eight weeks; if symptoms do not improve, change to a PPI) or step-down therapy (treat initially with a PPI; then titrate to the lowest effective medication type and dosage). In patients with erosive esophagitis identified on endoscopy, a PPI is the initial treatment of choice. Diagnostic testing should be reserved for patients who exhibit warning signs (i.e., weight loss, dysphagia, gastrointestinal bleeding) and patients who are at risk for complications of esophagitis (i.e., esophageal stricture formation, Barrett's esophagus, adenocarcinoma). Antireflux surgery, including open and laparoscopic versions of Nissen fundoplication, is an alternative treatment in patients who have chronic reflux with recalcitrant symptoms. Newer endoscopic modalities, including the Stretta and endocinch procedures, are less invasive and have fewer complications than antireflux surgery, but response rates are lower.     

Treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Therapeutic modalities for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) continue to evolve despite the introduction of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), the most successful antireflux class of drugs. On-demand modalities such as antacids and alginates as well as histamine type-2 receptor antagonists continue to be popular with GERD patients who seek temporary relief of symptoms. The PPIs have revolutionized the treatment of patients with severe erosive esophagitis, complications of GERD, and atypical or extraesophageal manifestations of GERD. Antireflux surgery, commonly performed via laparoscopy, remains popular among patients who do not wish to take medications long term. In addition, the recent introduction of various endoscopic techniques offers GERD patients a long-term solution with less morbidity and lower cost than antireflux surgery.     

Supraesophageal complications of gastroesophageal reflux

Supraesophageal complications of GERD have become more commonly recognized or suspected by physicians. However, the direct association between these complications and GERD has often been difficult, if not impossible, to establish. Furthermore, the majority of patients with suspected supraesophageal complications of GERD do not have either the characteristic symptoms of heartburn and regurgitation or the definitive findings of esophageal inflammation, which would help reinforce the suspicion of a connection between the supraesophageal complications and GERD. Frequent acid reflux has been shown in patients with various bron-chopulmonary, laryngopharyngeal, or oral cavity disorders. GERD is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints in the population. It is possible that the supraesophageal problems and acid reflux are mutually independent disorders that occur in the same person. The suspected mechanisms of GERD-related supraesophageal complications appear to be directed through two pathways: by a vagal reflex between the esophagus and tracheobronchial tree triggered by acid reflux or by microaspiration that causes contact damage to mucosal surfaces. The most useful diagnostic modality available to the clinician to aid in the diagnosis of supraesophageal GERD complications is the ambulatory pH recording technique. However, the sensitivity and specificity of this test for recording esophageal or pharyngeal acid reflux events has been critically challenged. Despite the many clinical studies that support the theory that GER has a role in suspected supraesophageal complications, only 1 long-term prospective controlled study of a large group of patients with asthma has shown the positive effects of the elimination of acid reflux. With the focus now on "outcomes medicine," there is a serious need for appropriately designed, controlled studies to answer the many questions surrounding a cause-and-effect association between acid reflux and supraesophageal disorders. Because of the lack of convincing proof between acid reflux and suspected supraesophageal complications, the physician must resort to an intent-to-treat strategy as both a primary therapy and a diagnostic trial. High-dose PPI therapy for prolonged periods is the recognized conservative therapy. Operative therapy (i.e., fundoplication operation) is the procedure of choice when overt regurgitation occurs or when medical therapy, although successful, is not practical for long periods. Controlled, well-designed clinical trials and more sophisticated techniques to measure and quantify acid reflux are crucial in the future to help determine which patients with suspected supraesophageal complications actually have acid reflux as a primary cause. The medical community needs to be alerted to the possibility of an association between GERD and supra-esophageal complications so that patients with a GERD-related complication will be recognized and effectively treated.     

Respiratory complications of gastroesophageal reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux may predispose patients to pulmonary complications such as bronchospasm and aspiration pneumonitis. This is especially true in patients who are critically ill, those with reflux-induced asthma and those undergoing general anesthesia. Decreasing the amount of acid reflux reduces the potential for respiratory complications. In patients at risk, administration of H2-receptor antagonists minimizes the risk of acid aspiration and resolves asthma symptoms.     

胃食管反流病的诊断

胃食管反流性疾病(gastroesophageal reflux disease，GERD)是由于胃、十二指肠内容物反流人食管引起的一组临床症状和食管的组织损害。主要表现为烧心、反流、胸骨后疼痛三大症状。酸(碱)反流导致的食管黏膜破损称为反流性食管炎(reflux esophagitis，RE)。新近的研究证明，胃食管反流(GER)与部分哮喘，咳嗽，夜间呼吸暂停，心绞痛样胸骨后疼痛有关。若食管炎症长期存在，可发展成为具有一定癌变倾向的Barrett食管。西方国家人群中7％～15％有GER症状。男女患病比例相似。