Role of clinical presentation in diagnosing reflux-related non-cardiac chest pain

INTRODUCTION: Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) presents as a frequent diagnostic challenge, with patients tending to use a disproportionate level of health-care resources. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is the most frequent cause of NCCP. Thus the typical symptoms of reflux, such as heartburn and regurgitation, when present as predominant symptoms are quite specific for diagnosing GERD but in patients with NCCP the clinical diagnosis of reflux is difficult, and invasive methods or the omeprazole test are required for its detection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of clinical presentation when diagnosing GERD among patients with NCCP. METHODS: Patients with NCCP underwent upper endoscopy, Bernstein and omeprazole tests. The patients were divided into two groups based on GER- or non-GER-related chest pain, and clinical presentation was compared between these two groups. Gastroesophageal reflux disease was considered positive when at least two methods were positive. RESULTS: From 78 NCCP patients (41 male; mean age 50.4 +/- 2.3 years), the chest pain was related to GERD in 35 patients (44.8%). The two groups were the same based on sex and age. The chest pain severity, site, radiation and relation to food, exercise, and sleep were equal in the two groups, except for two symptoms: pain that was relieved by antacid (P < 0.031) and presence of classical reflux symptoms (P < 0.009), seen in the GERD patients. With regard to recent patient history, heartburn and regurgitation symptoms were seen more frequently in GERD patients (P < 0.036 and P < 0.002, respectively). DISCUSSION: Clinical presentation is important in diagnosing GERD in NCCP. Although the chest pain is the same in reflux- and non-reflux-related NCCP, the symptoms of heartburn or regurgitation in the present or recent patient history are diagnostic for GERD-related chest pain.