The inflammatory polyp-fold complex in children

The inflammatory polyp-fold complex (IPFC) is an uncommon endoscopic or radiologic finding in children. In this complex, an inflammatory polyp at the gastroesophageal junction is present, often in continuity with a prominent gastric fold. Histologically, there is an inflammatory infiltrate in otherwise benign gastric and esophageal mucosa. We report four cases of IPFC in children, all associated with reflux esophagitis. In two patients who underwent repeat endoscopy, acid suppression therapy led to a decrease in the size of the polyp and histologic improvement of esophagitis. Four case studies in children with IPFC are presented, followed by a literature review of this endoscopic finding as it applies to children.

The Stretta procedure for the treatment of GERD: 6 and 12 month follow-up of the U.S. open label trial

BACKGROUND

This multicenter prospective study investigated the longer-term (12 month) safety and efficacy of radiofrequency energy delivery for the treatment of GERD.

METHODS

A prospective study was conducted of 118 patients with chronic heartburn and/or regurgitation who required antisecretory medication daily and had demonstrated pathologic esophageal acid exposure, a sliding hiatal hernia (<or=2 cm), and esophagitis (<or= grade 2). RF energy was delivered with the Stretta catheter and thermocouple-controlled generator to create thermal lesions below the mucosa at the gastroesophageal junction. GERD symptom scores, quality of life (SF-36), and medication use were assessed at 0, 1, 4, 6, and 12 months; esophageal acid exposure, motility, and endoscopy were assessed at 0 and 6 months.

RESULTS

Seventy-two men and 46 women were treated. At 12 months, 94 patients were available for follow-up. There were improvements after 12 months in the median heartburn score (4 to 1, p = 0.0001), GERD score (27 to 9, p = 0.0001), satisfaction (1 to 4, p = 0.0001), mental SF-36 (46.3 to 55.4, p < 0.0001), and physical SF-36 (40.9 to 53.1, p = 0.0001); proton pump inhibitor requirement fell from 88.1% to 30% of patients. Esophageal acid exposure improved significantly (10.2% to 6.4%, p = 0.0001). There were 10 (8.6%) complications, none of which required therapeutic intervention.

CONCLUSION

The Stretta procedure significantly improves GERD symptoms, quality of life, and esophageal acid exposure and eliminates the need for antisecretory medication in the majority of patients at 12 months.

Efficacy of medical therapy and antireflux surgery to prevent Barrett's metaplasia in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

OBJECTIVE

To investigate whether Barrett's metaplasia may develop despite effective medical therapy.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA

Gastroesophageal reflux disease has a multifactorial etiology. Therefore, medical treatment may not prevent complications of reflux disease.

METHODS

Eighty-three patients with reflux disease and mild esophagitis were prospectively studied for the development of Barrett's metaplasia while receiving long-term therapy with proton pump inhibitors and cisapride. Only patients who had effective control of reflux symptoms and esophagitis were included. The surveillance time was 2 years. The outcome of these 83 patients was compared with that of 42 patients in whom antireflux surgery was performed with a median follow-up of 3.5 years.

RESULTS

Twelve (14.5%) patients developed Barrett's while receiving medical therapy; this was not seen after surgery. Patients developing Barrett's had a weaker lower esophageal sphincter and peristalsis before treatment than patients with uncomplicated disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Antireflux surgery is superior to medical therapy in the prevention of Barrett's metaplasia. Therefore, patients with reflux disease who have a weak lower esophageal sphincter and poor esophageal peristalsis should undergo antireflux surgery, even if they have only mild esophagitis.

Clinicopathologic features of esophagitis in children

The esophagus traditionally has been considered a simple conduit for more than 50 tons of foodstuffs ingested during a lifetime. A growing body of literature, however, is defining the dynamic role of esophageal protective mechanisms and is identifying the immunologic milieu present within the squamous mucosa. When the innate protective mechanisms are overcome by an injurious agent, an inflammatory process ensues, and the clinicopathologic features of esophagitis are manifest. This article focuses on features of several causes of esophagitis in children, including peptic disease, duodenogastroesophageal reflux, Crohn's disease, and infection. In addition, a relatively new, but increasingly recognized, entity-eosinophilic esophagitis-is highlighted.

Reflux esophagitis and scleroderma

Despite improvement in pharmacologic management, the reflux seen in patients who have scleroderma is significantly greater than the reflux seen in patients who have idiopathic reflux. Furthermore, even with significant symptom improvement, half of the patients who have scleroderma do not show complete healing of esophagitis, owing to residual gastroesophageal reflux. Acid and bile reflux monitoring and endoscopic control examination should be used routinely to provide quantitative information on reflux damage and control. These patients need repeated adjustment of maintenance drug doses.

[Reflux esophagitis--a community-wide increase in incidence]

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disease increasing in incidence and prevalence in the industrialised countries. It is a chronic disease with a large spectrum of clinical manifestations. The leading symptom is heartburn, however the disease may also present with extraesophageal symptoms or stay asymptomatic. Motility disorders of the upper GI tract with the key feature of impaired LES are the cause for pathologic gastroesophageal reflux in the terminal esophagus. The relationship of H. pylori infection with GERD is part of the current discussion. The Savary Miller classification for grading of refluxesophagitis is now proposed for substitution by the Los Angeles classification for the assessment of erosive lesions. Besides complications such as bleeding or strictures the main risk is the development of Barrett esophagus and adenocarcinoma. Proton pump inhibitors are the therapy of choice for healing as well as in longterm therapy and prophylaxis. New endoscopic interventional therapies for treatment of GERD and related diseases should be used only in controlled studies.

Medical treatment for reflux oesophagitis does not consistently improve asthma control: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

A systematic literature review was conducted to assess the effect of treating reflux oesophagitis on asthma outcomes.

METHODS

Randomised controlled trials of reflux oesophagitis treatment in adults or children that reported asthma health outcomes were included and assessed in accordance with the standard Cochrane systematic review process. Patients were typically adults with asthma and concurrent symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux who received interventions that included pharmacological therapy, conservative management, and surgery. The following outcome measures were assessed: lung function, peak expiratory flow, asthma symptoms, asthma medications, and nocturnal asthma.

RESULTS

From 22 potentially relevant published and unpublished randomised controlled trials, 12 were included. Treatment duration ranged from 1 week to 6 months. Eight trials reported that treatment improved at least one asthma outcome, but these outcomes differed between trials. Overall, treatment of reflux oesophagitis did not consistently improve forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)), peak expiratory flow rate, asthma symptoms, nocturnal asthma symptoms, or use of asthma medications in asthmatic subjects. Significant improvement in wheeze was reported in two studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The published literature does not consistently support treatment of reflux oesophagitis as a means of controlling asthma. Further large randomised controlled trials in subjects with a demonstrated temporal relationship between gastro-oesophageal reflux and asthma are needed. These trials should be conducted over at least 6 months to allow adequate time to observe a treatment effect.

Economic considerations in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: a review

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common problem. Most patients with erosive GERD require long-term treatment, without which relapse is common. The cost of ongoing medical care for GERD is substantial, and patients with symptomatic GERD have impaired quality of life. Treatment strategies for GERD should aim to improve patient outcome at a reasonable cost. Cost-effectiveness methodology facilitates the integration of costs and patient outcomes, enabling the clinician to choose the most cost-effective therapy in a variety of clinical circumstances. The published studies reviewed in this paper show that proton pump inhibitors are the most cost-effective initial and maintenance medical therapy for GERD under most circumstances. However, variations in drug acquisition costs, such as may occur in managed care practice settings, may lead to H2-receptor antagonists being preferred under some circumstances. In the long-term management of GERD, laparoscopic surgery is effective, but its high initial cost makes it less cost-effective than proton pump inhibitors in the early treatment years. Also, recent data suggest that the long-term morbidity is higher than previously suspected. Finally, appropriate application of cost-effectiveness analyses to clinical practice requires critical appraisal of model design and the perspective adopted. The purpose of this article is to describe the interpretation and application of the results of cost-effectiveness analyses in clinical practice, and to examine the published literature on the cost-effectiveness of treatment options for GERD.

Prevalence, pathophysiology, and treatment of patients with asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease

About one third of the US adult population experiences symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux on a monthly basis. Asthma is present in about 5% of the same population. This article reviews and summarizes the literature in the following areas: (1) prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in asthmatic patients based on clinical symptoms, endoscopic esophagitis, and 24-hour ambulatory esophageal pH recordings; (2) proposed pathophysiologic mechanisms linking the 2 diseases; and (3) medical and surgical treatment trial results of antireflux therapy for asthmatic patients. Asthmatic patients appear to have an increased prevalence of GERD symptoms and 24-hour esophageal acid exposure. The clinical management of these patients remains controversial. Common management approaches to GERD in asthmatic patients include medical therapy with a proton pump inhibitor and/or antireflux surgery, which improve asthma symptoms in many patients but minimally affect pulmonary function.

Medical or surgical treatment for chronic gastrooesophageal reflux? A systematic review of published evidence of effectiveness

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effectiveness of medical (antacids, histamine antagonists and proton pump inhibitors) and surgical (fundoplication) treatment of chronic GORD.

SUBJECTS

Patients with objective (endoscopic or pH) evidence of chronic reflux reported in 6 randomised trials and 3 cohort studies, 1966-1999.

METHODS

Systematic review of comparative studies identified from electronic searches, citations, manual searches of journals, and correspondence with authors and experts.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Improvements in prevalence or severity of symptoms, oesophagitis, pH reflux duration, lower oesophageal sphincter pressure, patients' satisfaction, and side-effects.

RESULTS

Improved outcomes were more common after surgical than medical treatment with significant differences in objective outcomes in 5/6 randomised trials and in 2/3 cohort studies. Subjective outcomes (symptoms and patients' satisfaction) were also more common among surgical patients in all but one study that assessed them. Odds ratios for improvement with surgical rather than medical treatment ranged from 1.2 to 200, and numbers needed to treat ranged from 1.2 to 58, where these could be calculated. Studies were too heterogeneous for meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

In trials of chronic severe GORD, surgery is consistently more effective than medical treatment in relieving symptoms and objective oesophagitis, although omeprazole can give similar symptom relief with adjustment of the dose.

Medical treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is common and is a chronic recurring condition. In view of our improved knowledge about the pathogenesis and complications of gastro-oesophageal reflux, the therapy should be individualized and a cost-effective approach should be attempted in its management.

Significance of duodenogastric reflux in patients with erosive esophagitis

The role of duodenogastric reflux (DGR) in producing esophageal mucosal injury across the spectrum of GERD is still controversial. Our objective was to assess the role of DGR in the genesis and evolution of erosive esophagitis. Forty patients are presented who meet the criteria for the diagnosis of erosive esophagitis. Symptom scoring, endoscopy and mucosal biopsy with patohistologic classification of erosive esophagitis and a quantification of DGR, using scintigraphic imaging after intravenous injection of 99mTc-labeled HIDA, was performed. DGR was demonstrated in half of the patients. Both groups of patients (with and without DGR) were treated with life style changes, cisapride and nizatidine for a period of six weeks. After this period, symptom scoring, endoscopy and biopsy were performed again in both groups. There has been a significant decrease in the level of symptom scoring and endoscopic inflammation after the therapy, but without statistically significant difference between these two groups. Patohistologic finding after the medical treatment showed a marked difference between the two groups concerning the presence of DGR, indicating that the level of inflammation is statistically significantly higher in the group with DGR. This study showed that even if symptom scoring and endoscopy revealed improvement after the therapy in both groups of patients, patohistologic mucosal damage in patients with erosive esophagitis is greatly dependent of the presence of DGR. We conclude that alkaline component of GERD should be considered in the evaluation of patients with erosive esophagitis so that appropriate surgical therapy can be instituted.

Outcome of erosive/ulcerative reflux oesophagitis in 181 consecutive patients 5 years after diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Controversy exists as to whether oesophagitis worsens over the long-run and long-term follow-up studies of homogeneous series are scarce.

AIMS

This study assessed the level of symptoms and the proportions of patients who underwent anti reflux surgery or were on antisecretory therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Files from 286 patients with a first time diagnosis were retrieved. Outcome data was obtained over the phone from the general practitioners and from the patients.

RESULTS

Seventy-five patients had died (26.2%), 2 of whom from anti reflux surgery, and 30 (14.2%) could not be contacted. Of the 181 patients contacted, 18 (9.9%) had undergone anti reflux surgery. Of the 163 remaining patients, 57.7% were no longer on medication (group 1), 31.9% were using antacids, alginate or cisapride (group 2) and 10.4% were on antisecretory therapy (group 3). High initial grades of oesophagitis and older age were linked to antisecretory drug consumption. There were no new cases of haemorrhage or stricture.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients in this study showed a low rate of symptomatic relapse and of antisecretory drug requirements and no complications despite having had oesophageal breaks.

Audit of reflux oesophagitis at 4 years

BACKGROUND

Data on the natural history of reflux oesophagitis are few and conflicting: it is not clear whether in the long-term, patients still require therapy for controlling symptoms and preventing endoscopic relapse.

AIMS

To assess, in reflux oesophagitis patients followed up for a median period of 4 years: a) clinical conditions throughout follow-up period (i.e., frequency of relapses, need and type of treatment, satisfaction with therapy; b) present state, including quality of life, mode of treatment, presence of residual symptoms or invalidity.

PATIENTS

A series of 288 consecutive outpatients, diagnosed as having reflux oesophagitis during the period 1986-1990, and followed up for at least 48 months.

METHODS

The study was carried out in two parts. The first, retrospective, assessing the outcome throughout follow-up during which it was suggested that patients assume a maintenance therapy with H2-receptor antagonists, proton pump inhibitors or other drugs for the first year, and to continue only if desired. Patients returned for follow-up every six months, and endoscopy was repeated after the first year or in the case of symptom recurrence. In the second part, after a median follow-up of 4 years, patients were submitted to a telephone interview by means of a structured questionnaire, assessing type and severity of current symptoms (if any), type of current therapy, degree of satisfaction with treatment, and overall evaluation of quality of life.

RESULTS

Data are available from 132 patients (M/F = 85/47) of whom 119 (90%) were still on treatment and 31% still presented symptoms. During follow-up, 21% had more than 3 endoscopic relapses, 23% between 2 and 3, 28% one, and 28% zero, respectively and 79% were still adopting non-pharmacological measures (diet, posture, etc.). Only two (1.5%) had been submitted to surgery to control untractable symptoms/mucosal lesions. Finally, 64% and 11%, respectively, considered the present quality of life as good or excellent.

CONCLUSIONS

Contrary to many reports, the prognosis of reflux oesophagitis is not favourable showing a marked trend to chronicity; the disease leads to almost continuous drug assumption for symptom control, and is associated with a high relapse risk after treatment withdrawal. Despite (or due to) these unfavourable features, patient compliance to both pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapy is excellent and, correspondingly, also the quality of life is acceptable or improved.

[Reflux esophagitis and cicatricial stenosis of the muff-like esophageal-small intestine anastomosis after performing a gastrectomy for stomach cancer]

In the late follow-up period after gastrectomy conduction for gastric cancer using antireflux muff-like esophago-jejunal anastomosis 587 patients were examined. Mild reflux esophagitis was revealed in 29 (4.9%), moderate--in 9 (1.5%) of patients. Cicatricial stenosis of anastomosis have occurred in 127 (8.5%) of patients, including an early one--in 70.1% and the late--in 29.9%. The dilation using tubular bougies, passed along the guide, proved effective in the treatment of early stenosis. The stenosed part was cut through the endoscope with subsequent bougienage for the late stenosis.