INFLUENCE OF EXERCISE TESTING IN GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX IN PATIENTS WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE

Background

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a worldwide prevalent condition that exhibits alarge variety of signs and symptoms of esophageal or extra-esophageal nature andcan be related to the esophagic adenocarcinoma. In the last few years, greaterimportance has been given to the influence of physical exercises on it. Somerecent investigations, though showing conflicting results, point to anexacerbation of gastroesophageal reflux during physical exercises.

Aim

To evaluate the influence of physical activities in patients presenting witherosive and non erosive disease by ergometric stress testing and influence of thelower esophageal sphincter tonus and body mass index during this situation.

Methods

Twenty-nine patients with erosive disease (group I) and 10 patients withnon-erosive disease (group II) were prospectively evaluated. All the patients weresubmitted to clinical evaluation, followed by upper digestive endoscopy, manometryand 24 h esophageal pH monitoring. An ergometric testing was performed 1 h beforeremoving the esophageal pH probe. During the ergometric stress testing, thefollowing variables were analyzed: test efficacy, maximum oxygen uptake, acidreflux duration, gastroesophageal reflux symptoms, influence of the loweresophageal sphincter tonus and influence of body mass index in the occurrence ofgastroesophageal reflux during these physical stress.

Results

Maximum oxigen consumption or VO 2 max, showed significant correlation when it was70% or higher only in the erosive disease group, evaluating the patients with orwithout acid reflux during the ergometric testing (p=0,032). The other consideredvariables didn''t show significant correlations between gastroesophageal reflux andphysical activity (p>0,05).

Conclusions

1) Highly intensive physical activity can predispose the occurrence ofgastroesophageal reflux episodes in gastroesophageal reflux disease patients witherosive disease; 2) light or short sessions of physical activity have no influenceon reflux, regardless of body mass index; 3) the lower esophageal sphincter tonusdoes not influence the occurrence of reflux disease episodes during exercisetesting.