Development of reflux esophagitis following Helicobacter pylori eradication

Background We aimed to determine the incidence and causative factors of reflux esophagitis following Helicobacter pylori eradication in Japanese patients. Methods In patients in whom reflux esophagitis could not be detected endoscopically, we conducted an annual follow-up observation in 326 H. pylori-cured patients, 199 H. pylori-positive patients, and 151 H. pylori-negative patients, to study the incidence and causative factors of reflux esophagitis. Results Development of reflux esophagitis was observed in 74 (22.7%) of the H. pylori-cured patients during a median follow-up period of 6.0 years, in 16 (8.0%) of the H. pylori-positive patients during a median follow-up period of 5.0 years, and in 29 (19.2%) of the H. pylori-negative patients during a median follow-up period of 5.4 years. The results, after correction for sex and age, showed that H. pylori-cured patients had a significantly higher risk of reflux esophagitis than H. pylori-positive patients (risk ratio, 2.43; P < 0.01), but their risk did not differ from that in the H. pylori-negative patients. It was also shown that hiatal hernia (risk ratio, 4.01; P < 0.01) and smoking history (risk ratio, 1.77; P < 0.05) were significant risk factors for the development of reflux esophagitis. Conclusions With regard to the development of reflux esophagitis following H. pylori eradiation therapy, we observed that the frequency was higher in H. pylori-cured patients than in H. pylori-positive patients, but the frequency in H. pylori-cured patients and H. pylori-negative patients was the same. We elucidated that hiatal hernia and smoking history are important risk factors for reflux esophagitis.     

Recent effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors for severe reflux esophagitis: the first multicenter prospective study in Japan

Proton pump inhibitors are the first-line treatment for reflux esophagitis. Because severe reflux esophagitis has very low prevalence in Japan, little is known about the effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors in these patients. This prospective multicenter study assessed the effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors for severe reflux esophagitis in Japan. Patients with modified Los Angeles grade C or D reflux esophagitis were treated with daily omeprazole (10 or 20 mg), lansoprazole (15 or 30 mg), or rabeprazole (10, 20, or 40 mg) for 8 weeks. Healing was assessed endoscopically, with questionnaires administered before and after treatment to measure the extent of reflux and dyspepsia symptoms. Factors affecting healing rates, including patient characteristics and endoscopic findings, were analyzed. Of the 115 patients enrolled, 64 with grade C and 19 with grade D reflux esophagitis completed the study. The healing rate was 67.5% (56/83), with 15 of the other 27 patients (55.6%) improving to grade A or B. No patient characteristic or endoscopic comorbidity was significantly associated with healing rate. Reflux and dyspepsia symptoms improved significantly with treatment. The low healing rate suggests the need of endoscopic examination to assess healing of reflux esophagitis at the end of therapy. (UMIN000005271)     

Treatment of erosive reflux esophagitis resistant to H2-receptor antagonist therapy

Fifty-four patients with endoscopically documented therapy-resistant erosive reflux esophagitis were treated with lansoprazole, a new proton pump inhibitor, for up to 12 weeks. Prior to entry, all had remained unhealed after treatment with at least two histamine₂-receptor antagonists, at therapeutic doses or higher, for at least 12 weeks. Patients were randomized to receive either 30 or 60 mg lansoprazole once daily. Endoscopy was performed and symptoms assessed at weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 12. Fifty-nine percent of the 50 evaluable patients were healed (ie, no evidence of erosions) after only two weeks of lansoprazole. Cumulative endoscopic healing rates were 82% and 92% by week 4 and week 8, respectively, and the two doses were equally effective in healing. The 30- and 60-mg doses effected a decrease in the overall symptom score from 5.30 and 4.85 to 2.35 and 1.67, respectively, by the final treatment visit (P=0.001). No clinically significant adverse events or changes in laboratory parameters were observed, and no patients withdrew prematurely from the study. This study demonstrates that lansoprazole therapy is highly effective in healing erosive reflux esophagitis resistant to therapy with histamine H₂-receptor antagonists.Supported by a grant from TAP Pharmaceuticals Inc., Deerfield, Illinois.     

铝碳酸镁治疗反流性食管炎的多中心临床观察

目的探讨铝碳酸镁对反流性食管炎(RE)的疗效.方法国内6所医院对铝碳酸镁治疗RE进行多中心临床研究.45例经内镜证实的RE患者,随机分为2组.治疗组25例,予以铝碳酸镁1.0 g,每日4次,治疗6周;对照组20例,予以奥美拉唑20 mg,每日2次,治疗2周后,再改用20 mg,每日1次,治疗4周.2组患者分别于治疗1、2、4、6周观察反酸、烧心、胸痛症状记分改变.治疗组14例患者、对照组15例患者于6周后复查胃镜,观察2组RE的内镜下治愈率.治疗组17例及对照组13例患者分别于治疗前后行食管24 h pH及胆红素联合监测.结果铝碳酸镁及奥美拉唑治疗1周后,均可见症状明显改善,患者烧心、反酸、胸痛症状积分均较治疗前明显下降(P＜0.01).治疗6周后症状积分下降更明显,两组比较差异无显著性(P>0.05).6周后,铝碳酸镁组内镜下食管炎治愈率为64.28%,有效率为78.57%,与奥美拉唑组(66.67%及93.33%)相比差异无显著性(P>0.05).食管24 h pH及胆红素联合监测显示,铝碳酸镁和奥美拉唑均可显著降低食管内pH值及胆红素吸收值.结论铝碳酸镁与奥美拉唑均为治疗RE的有效药物.     

Do concomitant diseases and therapies affect the persistence of ulcer symptoms in the elderly?

Risk factors of slow healing were previously researched in a large sample of duodenal (DU) and gastric ulcer (GU) patients over 65 years of age; persistence of ulcer symptoms was proven the most reliable factor in predicting nonhealing ulcer, while ulcer size was of importance only for DU. We aimed to complete the analysis, with a more careful evaluation of concomitant diseases and therapies. Ranitidine 300 mg daily was given for four to eight weeks to 310 GU and 699 DU patients. Ninety-three patients dropped out of the study: 79/294 gastric ulcers and 138/635 duodenal ulcers were unhealed after four weeks. Cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and pulmonary disorders were the most frequent concomitant diseases; NSAIDs, cardiovascular drugs, and antihypertensives were the most frequent concomitant therapies. Esophagitis was diagnosed in 15.5% of patients. Ulcer healing was the major determinant of persistence of ulcer symptoms; esophagitis emerged as an important adjunctive and independent factor. Use of hypoglycemic agents in the whole sample and smoking habit (in GU) may have also a role. With persistence of ulcer symptoms removed from the analysis, ulcer size was the most constant factor affecting ulcer healing. NSAID use, cardiovascular disorders, esophagitis (in GU), and concomitant therapy with cardiovascular drugs (in DU) also play a role. In conclusion, persistence of ulcer symptoms, the major indicator of slow ulcer healing in the elderly, is independently affected also by the presence of esophagitis. Use of hypoglycemic agents and smoking habit may also have a role in persistence of ulcer symptoms. NSAIDs, cardiovascular disorders, cardiovascular drugs, and esophagitis affect ulcer healing, for which the most constant indicators remained persistence of ulcer symptoms and ulcer size.This study was performed under the auspices of the R. Farini Foundation for Gastrointestinal Research.     

非重度反流性食管炎患者消化间期和消化期食管运动功能的探讨

为探讨非重度反流性食管炎(NSRE)的发病机制,本研究对10例NSRE患者和10名健康人(HS)进行同步胃窦、下食管括约肌(LES)和食管体部连续测压5小时,观察消化间期和消化期的食管功能。结果显示,NSRE和HS组的LES压力变化类似,在移行性复合运动(MMC)Ⅰ期时,LES压力较低,分别为23.3±3.0和16.1±2.7(NS),MMCⅡ期时升高29.2±3.7和30.5±4.1(NS),而MMCⅢ期明显升高为53.4±6.1和43.4±6.0(与Ⅰ期比,P相似文献   

Prostaglandin D2 receptor d‐type prostanoid receptor 2 mediates eosinophil trafficking into the esophagus

Eosinophilic esophagitis is characterized by eosinophil‐predominant inflammation in the esophagus. How eosinophils migrate and infiltrate into the esophagus, however, is less clear. Our previous study demonstrated that mast cell activation led to eosinophil infiltration in the esophagus. Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) is an important mediator released from activated mast cells. The present study aims to determine whether PGD2 induces eosinophil infiltration into the esophagus via a d ‐type prostanoid receptor 2 (DP2) receptor‐dependent mechanism. Using an in vivo guinea pig model, PGD2, d ‐type prostanoid receptor 1 (DP1) agonist, or DP2 agonist were injected into the esophagus. Esophageal tissues were removed 2 hours after injections and proceeded to either hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining or immunofluorescent staining of eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) to compare each treatment‐induced eosinophil infiltration in the esophagus. In a separate study, ovalbumin (OVA)‐sensitized guinea pigs were pretreated with either DP2 or DP1 antagonists, followed by inhalation of OVA to induce mast cell activation. Esophageal tissues were then processed for immunofluorescent staining of MBP. PGD2 injection in the esophagus led to an increase of eosinophil infiltration in esophageal epithelium at the injection site as revealed by HE staining. Increased infiltration of eosinophils was further confirmed by the increased presence of MBP‐labeled immunopositive (MBP‐LI) cells in esophageal epithelium. Injection with DP2 agonist 15(R)‐PGD2, but not DP1 agonist BW 245C, mimicked the PGD2‐induced response. In OVA‐sensitized animals, antigen inhalation increased MBP‐LI cells in esophageal epithelium. Pretreatment with DP2 antagonist BAY‐u3405, but not DP1 antagonist BW 868C, inhibited the antigen inhalation‐induced increase of MBP‐LI cells in esophageal epithelium. These data support the hypothesis that PGD2 induces eosinophil trafficking into the esophageal epithelium via a DP2‐mediated pathway, suggesting a role of DP2 antagonist in the prevention of eosinophilic esophagitis.     

Differences in the risk factors of reflux esophagitis according to age in Korea

The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Korea has been believed to be low, but the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Korea is expected to increase because of the longer life expectancy and more ingestion of westernized food. The aim of this study was to report differences in the risk factors of reflux esophagitis (RE) according to age in Korea. We prospectively recruited the subjects who had RE among those who visited a health promotion center for upper gastrointestinal cancer surveillance at Hallym Medical Center (five institutions) between January 2008 and February 2009. The enrolled study participants comprised 742 subjects with RE and 1484 healthy controls. The independent risk factors of RE in young and adult group were male sex, smoking, coffee, body mass index ≥ 25, hiatal hernia, and Helicobacter pylori negativity. The risk factors of RE in elderly group were smoking, coffee, and hiatal hernia. The risk factors for RE according to age group were found to differ. In elderly group, Helicobacter pylori infection was not a significant protective factor contrary to young and adult groups.