Interobserver agreement in endoscopic evaluation of reflux esophagitis using a modified Los Angeles classification incorporating grades N and M: a validation study in a cohort of Japanese endoscopists

Tunnel anastomosis - a modified flap technique in esophagogastrostomy as a novel anti-reflux technique after proximal gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of proximal gastric cancer (PGC) has been increasing rapidly worldwide. Postoperative reflux esophagitis after conventional Esophagogastrostomy (EG) was a major problem that haunts the surgeons. We designed a novel anti-reflux technique called Tunnel anastomosis in EG after proximal gastrectomy. The aim of this study is to present the detailed procedures of Tunnel anastomosis and to assess its safety and feasibility by comparing the surgical outcomes, reflux, and nutritional status of patients undergoing Tunnel anastomosis versus double tract jejunal interposition reconstruction (DTJIR).

METHODS

1,718 patients undergoing gastrectomy were enrolled in this study. 150 patients undergoing PG were finally analyzed, of which 21 patients underwent Tunnel anastomosis, 129 patients underwent DTJIR. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to reduce biases.

RESULTS

After 1:1 PSM, there were 21 patients in both groups. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of surgical approach, blood loss, operative time, reconstruction time, postoperative hospital stay, morbidity, and mortality. The incidence of reflux esophagitis in both groups was 9.5% (2/21) according to the endoscopic examination at the 12-month postoperative follow-up. No patient in the Tunnel group was classified as grade B or higher according to the Los Angeles classification. Patients in the Tunnel and DTJIR groups exhibited comparable postoperative nutritional status when assessing the body weight, albumin levels and PNI value at 3 and 6 months after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Tunnel anastomosis is a safe technique that offers a robust anti-reflux effect and can be performed in some suitable patients with PGC.

Book-Binding Technique in Totally Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy with Billroth I Reconstruction: Clinical Results and Outcomes in 188 Patients with Gastric Cancer

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic gastrectomy is widely used as a curative treatment for gastric cancer. Although delta-shaped anastomosis is commonly used for Billroth I anastomosis after totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG), it has some drawbacks. The book-binding technique (BBT) was developed as an alternative, and this study aimed to examine its short-term results in 188 consecutive cases.

STUDY DESIGN

This retrospective study included patients who underwent BBT reconstruction after TLDG for gastric malignancy between 2011 and 2020. BBT is a technique for intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy, which is a triangular anastomosis with a linear stapler that does not require additional dissection or rotation of the duodenum. The short-term outcomes of BBT reconstruction and postoperative endoscopic findings were analyzed.

RESULTS

This study evaluated 188 patients who underwent TLDG and BBT reconstruction. Anastomotic stenosis and leakage occurred in 1.1% and 0.5% of the patients, respectively. The median time to the first diet was 3.1 days, and the median postoperative hospital stay was 11.9 days. BBT anastomoses were performed by 19 surgeons and took an average of 32.8 minutes to complete, with completion times decreasing as the surgical team became more proficient. On endoscopy performed 1 year postoperatively, 5.2% had reflux esophagitis (grade A or higher), 67.8% had gastritis (grade 1 or higher), 37.4% had residual food (grade 1 or higher), and 37.4% had bile reflux (grade 1).

CONCLUSIONS

BBT is a safe and feasible method for intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy in TLDG for patients with gastric malignancy and demonstrates good surgical outcomes.

The Association between Smoking Exposure and Reflux Esophagitis: A Cross-sectional Study among Men Conducted as a Part of Health Screening

Objective Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), including reflux esophagitis (RE), is recognized as a common gastrointestinal disease, and its prevalence is reported to be increasing. While current cigarette smoking has been established as a risk factor for RE in several cross-sectional studies, most of these studies did not include details concerning the smoking status in their analyses. Smoking-related conditions, such as chronic lung disease and cough, are reportedly also related to GERD. Methods To investigate the association between RE and detailed smoking habits, we performed a cross-sectional analysis of healthy men enrolled in a comprehensive health checkup program conducted in 2015 that included esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy. Smoking status was assessed using a self-reported questionnaire. Other smoking-related parameters, including the lung function, cough symptoms and presence of chronic lung disease, were also assessed. Unconditional logistic regression was applied to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) after adjusting for confounding factors. Results The study included 151 subjects with RE (RE group) and 814 without RE (control group). Compared with never-smokers, former smokers (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 0.9-2.9) and current smokers (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.5-3.9) showed an increased risk of RE. An increased risk of RE was also observed among subjects with current smoking for 10-20 PYs and more than 20 PYs (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.4-5.8, OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.6-5.7 respectively). An elevated risk was observed in former smokers who reported more than 20 PYs (OR, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.3-4.8). When former smokers were stratified according to time since smoking cessation, a significant RE risk was observed in participants who had stopped smoking less than 10 years earlier compared with never smokers (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.3). No significant associations were observed between chronic cough, FEV1.0%, and RE. Conclusion Cumulative lifetime exposure to smoking plays an important role in the risk of RE.

Role of linked color imaging for upper gastrointestinal disease: present and future

Techniques for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy are advancing to facilitate lesion detection and improve prognosis. However, most early tumors in the upper gastrointestinal tract exhibit subtle color changes or morphological features that are difficult to detect using white light imaging. Linked color imaging (LCI) has been developed to overcome these shortcomings; it expands or reduces color information to clarify color differences, thereby facilitating the detection and observation of lesions. This article summarizes the characteristics of LCI and advances in LCI-related research in the upper gastrointestinal tract field.

The validity of I-Scan in diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Background: The evaluation of patients with suspected gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) frequently represents a diagnostic dilemma. Confirmation of the presence of the esophogeal mucosal injury is one of the roles of endoscopy in GERD diagnosis. In this context, there are limitations of white light endoscopy (WLE) because of the inadequate visualization of the minute mucosal changes and the uncertainty in describing the severity of mucosal injury. I-SCAN technology helps in revealing fine details of the GI mucosa. Aim: to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of I-SCAN technology as compared to white light endoscopy (WLE) in Egyptian patients suffering from GERD symptoms. Patients and methods: This study included adult patients with GERD questionnaire (Q) score ≥ 8 points. The distal esophagus was examined by WLE followed by I-SCAN 2 to evaluate the presence of mucosal injuries and to classify GERD severity according to the Los Angles (LA) classification & its Japanese modification, respectively. Biopsies were taken from the lower esophageal mucosa as well as from the visible mucosal breaks and subjected to histopathologic examination. Results: Sixty patients were enrolled; 32 (53.3%) were females & 28 (46.7%) were males. WLE showed erosive reflux disease (ERD) in 41 patients (68.3%); while 19 patients (31.7%) showed no mucosal breaks. As regard LA classification; 18 of the cases were classified as grade A (30%); 15 as grade B (25%); 7 as grade C (11.7%) and 1 as grade D (1.7%). Reexamination of distal esophagus by I-SCAN 2 showed minimal change esophagitis (MCE) (grade M) & ERD in 57 patients (95%); while only 3 patients (5%) showed no mucosal changes (grade N). As regard the modified LA classification; 16 cases were classified as grade M (26.6%); 12 as grade A (20%); 21 as grade B (35%); 7 as grade C (11.7%) and 1 as grade D (1.7%). There was perfect agreement of WLE with I-SCAN 2 in LA grades B, C & D. There was poor agreement of WLE with I-SCAN 2 in cases who had no mucosal breaks & LA grade A cases on WLE (weighted Kappa was 0.11); as 16 cases were reclassified as grade M on I-SCAN 2 (had no mucosal breaks on WLE) and 6 cases were reclassified as class B on I-SCAN 2(were classified as grade A on WLE). As regard the histological proven reflux esophagitis (HPRE), it was present in 41 (68.3%) of the studied cases with statistically significant higher proportion of male gender. It was present in 28 (68.3%) of the patients who had ERD on WLE; 13(68.4%) of the patients who had no mucosal breaks on WLE; 38 (66.6%) of the cases who had grade M or ERD on I-SCAN 2 & the three patients who had grade N on I-SCAN 2.GERD Q score ranged from 10 to 12 points with median of 11 points. It was significantly higher in patients with HPRE (11.4 ± 1.8 points) than those without (10.3 ± 1.3 points) (p= 0.026). GERD Q score strongly correlated with both the modified LA grade by I-SCAN 2 (p=0.03) and the histological severity score (p=0,016). On univariate & multivariate analysis, male gender and GERD Q score > 11points were significant predictors of HPRE (p < .001). ROC analysis curve showed that GERD Q score at a cut-off > 11points was a significant predictor of HPRE with a sensitivity of 47%, specificity of 85%, AUC of 66.7% and p = 0.015. Conclusion: I-SCAN technology may improve the diagnosis of the esophogeal mucosal injury in GERD patients. There was poor agreement of WLE with I-SCAN 2 in patients who had no mucosal breaks & those with LA grade A on WLE. However, there was perfect agreement of WLE with I-SCAN 2 in patients with LA grades B, C& D. GERD Q score had positive correlation with both the modified LA grade on I-SCAN 2 and the histological severity score. Male gender and GERD Q score > 11points were significant predictors of histological proven reflux esophagitis.

Esophageal mast cells may be associated with the perception of symptoms in patients with eosinophilic esophagitis

BACKGROUND

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is a type 2 helper T-cell (Th2)-mediated allergic disease that involves mast cells. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between perception of symptoms and mast cell levels in patients with EoE.

METHODS

We enrolled patients with asymptomatic esophageal eosinophilia (aEE) and those with symptomatic EoE. Immunofluorescence staining was performed on esophageal biopsy specimens to quantify mast cell-related molecules, such as tryptase, proteinase-activated receptor (PAR)-2, and vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor (VPAC)-1.

RESULTS

We evaluated 28 and 58 patients with aEE and EoE, respectively. There were no significant differences in clinical and endoscopic features and peak eosinophil counts between both groups. Mast cell tryptase-positive areas were significantly higher in EoE than in aEE (4.9 [3.5-6.2] vs. 2.0 [1.2-3.4] %, p < 0.01). The number of PAR-2-positive cells was significantly higher in EoE than in aEE (14 [8.8-20.0] vs. 4 [2.8-8.0] cells/high-power field [HPF], p < 0.01). The number of VPAC-1-positive cells was significantly higher in the EoE group than in the aEE group (13 [8.8-16.0] vs. 6 [3.0-9.3] cells/HPF, p < 0.01). A positive correlation was observed between the numbers of PAR-2-positive cells and VPAC-1-positive cells (r = 0.851, p < 0.01). Moreover, mast cell tryptase-positive areas positively correlated with the number of PAR-2- and VPAC-1-positive cells (r = 0.352, p < 0.01; r = 0.355, p < 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Esophageal mast cells and their receptors, PAR-2 and VPAC-1, may contribute to the perception of symptoms in patients with EoE.

Usefulness of Endoscopy for the Detection and Diagnosis of Primary Esophageal Motility Disorders and Diseases Relating to Abnormal Esophageal Motility

Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is performed to rule out organic diseases in the diagnosis of esophageal motility disorders (EMDs). Abnormal endoscopic findings can be observed during EGD, which indicate the presence of EMDs. Several endoscopic findings at both the esophagogastric junction and esophageal body that are related to EMDs have been reported. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) could be detected during EGD, and these diseases are often associated with abnormal esophageal motility. Image-enhanced endoscopy (IEE) could improve the detection of these diseases during EGD. Although no report has been published previously on the potential usefulness of IEE in the endoscopic diagnosis of EMDs, IEE can be used to detect disorders that can be associated with abnormal esophageal motility.

Trends in proton pump inhibitor use, reflux esophagitis, and various upper gastrointestinal symptoms from 2010 to 2019 in Japan

The increasing usage of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) has been reported worldwide, but information on PPI use in East Asia is inadequate. This study aimed to examine the trends in PPI use in Japan, along with the changes in histamine H₂ receptor antagonist (H₂RA) use, disease rate of reflux esophagitis, and the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal symptoms. We analyzed 217,712 healthy subjects (127,607 men and 90,105 women; 51.4 ± 9.7 years old) participating in the health check program from 2010 to 2019. Various upper gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated using the frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (FSSG) questionnaire. Reflux esophagitis was diagnosed by esophageal erosion using the Los Angeles classification grades A, B, C, and D. From 2010 to 2019, the percentage of PPI users increased markedly from approximately 1.8% to 5.3%, whereas that of H₂RA users decreased gradually from approximately 2.5% to 1.9%. The use of all classical types of PPIs (omeprazole, lansoprazole, rabeprazole, and esomerazole) and a new type of PPI, a potassium-competitive acid blocker (vonoprazan), greatly increased during the 10 years. An upward trend in the prevalence of reflux esophagitis was observed from 2010 to 2015, but not from 2016 to 2019, indicating that the monotonic rising prevalence of reflux disease stopped in the middle of the 2010s in Japan. In contrast, various upper gastrointestinal symptoms significantly improved between 2010 and 2019. All 12 FSSG symptoms of PPI users were significantly worse than those of non-PPI users, suggesting that PPIs still cannot completely control upper gastrointestinal symptoms. In conclusion, this study revealed a significant increase in PPI use and a slight decrease in H₂RA use from 2010 to 2019. Despite a plateau in the prevalence of reflux esophagitis and considerable improvement in various upper gastrointestinal symptoms, PPI use has continued to increase in Japan.

The role of endoscopy in the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disease that may cause a huge economic burden. Endoscopy is performed not only to rule out other organic diseases but also to diagnose reflux esophagitis or Barrett's esophagus. Non‐erosive GERD (non‐erosive reflux disease [NERD]) is called endoscopy‐negative GERD; however, GERD‐related findings could be obtained through histological assessment, image‐enhanced endoscopy, and new endoscopic modalities in patients with NERD. Moreover, endoscopy is useful to stratify the risk for the development of GERD. In addition, endoscopic treatments have been developed. These techniques could significantly improve patients’ quality of life as well as symptoms.

Inverse correlation between gastroesophageal reflux disease and atrophic gastritis assessed by endoscopy and serology

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is known to prevent the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) by inducing gastric mucosal atrophy. However, little is known about the relationship between atrophic gastritis (AG) and GERD.

AIM

To confirm the inverse correlation between AG and the occurrence and severity of GERD.

METHODS

Individuals receiving health checkups who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy at Seoul National University Healthcare System Gangnam Center were included. The grade of reflux esophagitis was evaluated according to the Los Angeles classification. Endoscopic AG (EAG) was categorized into six grades. Serologic AG (SAG) was defined as pepsinogen I ≤ 70 ng/mL and pepsinogen I/II ratio ≤ 3.0. The association between the extent of EAG and SAG and the occurrence and severity of GERD was evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 4684 individuals with GERD were compared with 21901 healthy controls. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, advanced age, male sex, body mass index > 23 kg/m², presence of metabolic syndrome, current smoking, and alcohol consumption were associated with an increased risk of GERD. Seropositivity for H. pylori immunoglobulin G antibodies was associated with a decreased risk of GERD. There was an inverse correlation between the extent of EAG and occurrence of GERD: Odds ratio (OR), 1.01 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90-1.14] in C1, 0.87 (0.78-0.97) in C2, 0.71 (0.62-0.80) in C3, 0.52 (0.44-0.61) in O1, 0.37 (0.29-0.48) in O2, and 0.28 (0.18-0.43) in O3. Additionally, the extent of EAG showed an inverse correlation with the severity of GERD. The presence of SAG was correlated with a reduced risk of GERD (OR = 0.49, 95%CI: 0.28-0.87, P = 0.014).

CONCLUSION

The extent of EAG and SAG exhibited strong inverse relationships with the occurrence and severity of GERD. AG followed by H. pylori infection may be independently protect against GERD.

The role of advanced endoscopy in the management of inflammatory digestive diseases (upper gastrointestinal tract)

The Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society held four serial symposia between 2019 and 2020 on the state-of-the-art of issues related to upper GI inflammatory diseases. This review discusses some of the topics addressed in these symposia. The papers regarding nonerosive reflux disease, recent improvements in intraesophageal pH-impedance monitoring and endoscopic diagnosis using image-enhanced endoscopy have been published. Many publications have addressed its usefulness in endoscopic treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease such as anti-reflux mucosectomy. In the management of eosinophilic esophagitis, since the symptoms are subjective, objective indicators have been sought, and ultrasonography and high-resolution manometry may be useful tools for evaluation. The natural course of this condition, especially of asymptomatic cases, is not well clarified. Some newly developed anti-acid or anti-inflammatory medicines are now under investigation. With regard to autoimmune gastritis, because of widespread medical examinations, diagnosis of asymptomatic cases has been increasing. Recently, its endoscopic characteristics have become clear and the natural history of these conditions is being elucidated. The Kyoto Classification of Gastritis has been reported to be useful not only for Helicobacter pylori diagnosis but also for identification of risks of gastric cancer. Its usefulness is now recognized in Asia and Europe.

Optimal Reconstruction After Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study

Objectives

Although laparoscopic distal gastrectomy has been widely used for distal gastric cancer, the best functional reconstruction type has not yet been established. Based on previous experience, we propose a modified uncut Roux-en-Y anastomosis. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of different intracorporeal anastomoses after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.

Methods

From April 2015 to August 2020, the data of 215 patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy was collected. The patients were divided into 4 groups according to the digestive tract reconstruction method, Billroth-I, Billroth-II, Roux-en-Y, and the modified uncut Roux-en-Y. Clinicopathologic characteristics, surgery details, short-term outcomes, and postoperative nutritional status were analyzed.

Results

The operation time of Billroth-I anastomosis was significantly shorter (216.2 ± 25.8 min, P < .001) than that of other methods. There was no difference in postoperative complications and OS among the 4 reconstruction methods. The incidences of esophagitis, gastritis, and bile reflux were significantly lower in the Roux-en-Y and uncut Roux-en-Y group (P < .001) 1 year after surgery. And the postoperative albumin and PNI levels in uncut Roux-en-Y group were higher than those in other groups(P < .05). On multivariate analysis, age and reconstruction type were independently related to esophagitis, gastritis, and bile reflux. Serum albumin and the prognostic nutritional index were significantly higher in the uncut Roux-en-Y group than other groups (P < .05).

Conclusions

All 4 reconstruction techniques are feasible and safe. The Roux-en-Y and uncut Roux-en-Y are superior to Billroth-Ⅰ and Billroth-Ⅱ+Braun in terms of reflux esophagitis, gastritis, and bile reflux. Uncut Roux-en-Y may result in better PNI than the others.

Multichannel impedance monitoring for distinguishing nonerosive reflux esophagitis with minor changes on endoscopy in children

Objectives:

There are reports describing the relationship between baseline impedance level and esophageal mucosal integrity at endoscopy, such as erosive and nonerosive reflux esophagitis. However, many children with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease have normal findings or minor changes on esophagogastroduodenoscopy. We aimed to examine whether modest changes at esophagogastroduodenoscopy can be evaluated and correlated with esophageal multichannel intraluminal impedance monitoring.

Methods:

Patients (ages 0–17 years) with upper gastrointestinal symptoms who underwent combined esophagogastroduodenoscopy and multichannel intraluminal impedance monitoring at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide, Australia, between 2014 and 2016 were retrospectively studied and the following data were collected and used for analysis: demographics, multichannel intraluminal impedance data, included baseline impedance. Endoscopic findings were classified by modified Los Angeles grading, Los Angeles N as normal, Los Angeles M as with minimal change such as the erythema, pale mucosa, or friability of the mucosa following biopsy. Patients on proton pump inhibitor were excluded.

Results:

Seventy patients (43 boys; 61%) were enrolled with a mean age of 7.9 years (range 10 months to 17 years). Fifty-one patients (72.9%) were allocated to Los Angeles N, while Los Angeles M was evident in 19 patients (27.1%). Statistically significant differences were observed in the following parameters: frequency of acid and nonacid reflux and baseline impedance in channels 5 and 6. The median values of the data were 18.3 episodes, 16.0 episodes, 2461.0 Ω, 2446.0 Ω in Los Angeles N, 36.0 episodes, 31.0 episodes, 2033.0 Ω, 2009.0 Ω in Los Angeles M, respectively.

Conclusion:

Lower baseline impedance is helpful in predicting minimal endoscopic changes in the lower esophagus. A higher frequency of acid and nonacid reflux episodes was also predictive of minimal endoscopic change in the lower esophagus.

Inter-observer variability of experts and trainees for the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis: Comparison of linked color imaging, blue laser imaging, and white light imaging

OBJECTIVES

Diagnosis of reflux esophagitis according to the Los Angeles classification minimal change (LA-M) has a low inter-observer agreement. We aimed to investigate whether the inter-observer agreement of reflux esophagitis was better when expert endoscopists read the endoscopic images, or when the linked color imaging (LCI) or blue laser imaging (BLI)-bright mode was used. In addition, whether the inclusion of LA-M in the definition of reflux esophagitis affected the consistency of the diagnosis was investigated.

METHODS

During upper endoscopy, endoscopic images of the gastroesophageal junction were taken using white light imaging (WLI), BLI-bright, and LCI modes. Four expert endoscopists and four trainees reviewed the images to diagnose reflux esophagitis according to the modified LA classification.

RESULTS

The kappa values for the inter-observer variability for the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis were poor to fair among the experts (κ =  0.22, 0.17, and 0.27 for WLI, BLI-bright, and LCI, respectively) and poor among the trainees (κ =  0.18, 0.08, and 0.14 for WLI, BLI-bright, and LCI). The inter-observer variabilities for the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis excluding LA-M were fair to moderate (κ =  0.42, 0.35, and 0.42 for WLI, BLI-bright, and LCI) among the expert endoscopists and moderate among the trainees (κ = 0.48, 0.43, and 0.51 for WLI, BLI-bright, and LCI).

CONCLUSIONS

The inter-observer agreement for the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis was very low for both the expert endoscopists and the trainees, even using BLI-bright or LCI mode. However, when reflux esophagitis LA-M was excluded from the diagnosis of esophagitis, the degree of inter-observer agreement increased.

Efficacy of vonoprazan 10 mg compared with 20 mg for the initial treatment in patients with erosive esophagitis: a randomized pilot study

BACKGROUND

The study aimed to investigate the efficacy of vonoprazan 10 mg compared with 20 mg in patients with erosive esophagitis.

METHOD

Seventy-three patients with erosive esophagitis were randomly divided into two groups either vonoprazan 20 mg (n = 37) or 10 mg (n = 36). They were administered each dose for 4 weeks as the initial treatment followed by maintenance treatment with 10 mg for 8 weeks. The primary endpoints were mucosal healing rate and symptom relief at 4 weeks. The secondary endpoint was symptom relief at 12 weeks after the maintenance treatment. Mucosal healing was assessed endoscopically, and symptom relief was assessed using the FSSG score.

RESULTS

At 4 weeks, the endoscopic healing rates of the 20 mg and 10 mg groups were 94.6% and 94.4%, respectively. The FSSG scores of the 20 mg and 10 mg groups were significantly decreased in both treatment groups from 13 (4-39) to 4 (0-25) and 14 (4-40) to 3 (0-29), respectively. At 12 weeks, the scores further decreased to 2 (0-13) and 2 (0-26), respectively. The vonoprazan 10 mg group showed a similar therapeutic effect to the 20 mg group in mucosal healing at 4 weeks and in symptom relief throughout the study period. When stratified by esophagitis grading, these findings were still demonstrated in grade A/B patients but not in grade C/D patients.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that initial treatment with vonoprazan 10 mg might be useful especially in patients with mild erosive esophagitis. Large controlled studies are warranted to confirm our investigation.

Eosinophilic esophagitis and asymptomatic esophageal eosinophilia display similar immunohistological profiles

Patients with asymptomatic esophageal eosinophilia (aEE) do not exhibit clinical symptoms because of esophageal dysfunction, although they have endoscopic and histological findings similar to those of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). The cause of the symptoms and the differences between aEE and EoE are unclear. The aim of this study is to determine whether aEE and EoE are same disease entities by comparing immune-related tissue biomarkers using immunohistological staining. Esophageal biopsy specimens from 61 patients, including 18 with aEE and 43 with EoE, were analyzed. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to quantify the immune-related tissue biomarkers such as major basic protein, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, eotaxin-3, and immunoglobulin G4. Data are presented as median (interquartile range). There were no significant differences in clinical, endoscopic, or histological features, between patients with aEE and EoE, with the exception of body mass index. There were no significant differences in all immune-related tissue biomarkers between both groups. In conclusions, EoE and aEE displayed similar immunohistological profiles. Hence, they may be similar disease entities with some common pathogenic mechanisms. Our findings suggest that patients with aEE also have histopathological esophageal inflammation.

Use of vonoprazan for management of systemic sclerosis-related gastroesophageal reflux disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) can significantly reduce a patient's quality of life. GERD in SSc is occasionally resistant to conventional anti-acid treatment. Vonoprazan is an H⁺/K⁺-ATPase blocker that is approved in Japan for treatment of GERD. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of vonoprazan in SSc-related GERD. The frequency scale for symptoms of GERD (FSSG) scores were collected before and after vonoprazan treatment in 15 SSc patients with GERD. Additionally, endoscopic esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed in select patients. Conventional proton pump inhibitors or histamine-2 receptor antagonists had been previously administered in 93% (14/15) of the patients. Although the baseline esophagogastroduodenoscopy examination did not show severe erosion in the majority of patients, the mean total FSSG score before vonoprazan treatment was notably high (25.2±10.7) compared to a normal score of <8. After vonoprazan treatment, the FSSG score decreased to 9.6±7.0. The mean improvement rate of the total FSSG, acid reflux and dysmotility scores were 60.8±21.2% (P=0.0004), 67.3±24.8% (P<0.0001) and 55.4±26.0% (P=0.0022), respectively. These results suggest that vonoprazan may be a potentially effective treatment for GERD in patients with SSc.

Eosinophilic esophagitis and asymptomatic esophageal eosinophilia display similar immunohistological profiles

Patients with asymptomatic esophageal eosinophilia (aEE) do not exhibit clinical symptoms because of esophageal dysfunction, although they have endoscopic and histological findings similar to those of eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). The cause of the symptoms and the differences between aEE and EoE are unclear. The aim of this study is to determine whether aEE and EoE are same disease entities by comparing immune-related tissue biomarkers using immunohistological staining. Esophageal biopsy specimens from 61 patients, including 18 with aEE and 43 with EoE, were analyzed. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to quantify the immune-related tissue biomarkers such as major basic protein, eosinophil-derived neurotoxin, eotaxin-3, and immunoglobulin G4. Data are presented as median (interquartile range). There were no significant differences in clinical, endoscopic, or histological features, between patients with aEE and EoE, with the exception of body mass index. There were no significant differences in all immune-related tissue biomarkers between both groups. In conclusions, EoE and aEE displayed similar immunohistological profiles. Hence, they may be similar disease entities with some common pathogenic mechanisms. Our findings suggest that patients with aEE also have histopathological esophageal inflammation.

Linked color imaging improves visibility of reflux esophagitis

Background

With more prevalent gastroesophageal reflux disease comes increased cases of Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Image-enhanced endoscopy using linked-color imaging (LCI) differentiates between mucosal colors. We compared LCI, white light imaging (WLI), and blue LASER imaging (BLI) in diagnosing reflux esophagitis (RE).

Methods

Consecutive RE patients (modified Los Angeles [LA] classification system) who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy using WLI, LCI, and BLI between April 2017 and March 2019 were selected retrospectively. Ten endoscopists compared WLI with LCI or BLI using 142 images from 142 patients. Visibility changes were scored by endoscopists as follows: 5, improved; 4, somewhat improved; 3, equivalent; 2, somewhat decreased; and 1, decreased. For total scores, 40 points was considered improved visibility, 21–39 points was comparable to white light, and < 20 points equaled decreased visibility. Inter- and intra-rater reliabilities (Intra-class Correlation Coefficient [ICC]) were also evaluated. Images showing color differences (ΔE*) and L* a* b* color values in RE and adjacent esophageal mucosae were assessed using CIELAB, a color space system.

Results

The mean age of patients was 67.1 years (range: 27–89; 63 males, 79 females). RE LA grades observed included 52 M, 52 A, 24 B, 11 C, and 3 D. Compared with WLI, all RE cases showed improved visibility: 28.2% (40/142), LA grade M: 19.2% (10/52), LA grade A: 34.6% (18/52), LA grade B: 37.5% (9/24), LA grade C: 27.3% (3/11), and LA grade D: 0% (0/3) in LCI, and for all RE cases: 0% in BLI. LCI was not associated with decreased visibility. The LCI inter-rater reliability was “moderate” for LA grade M and “substantial” for erosive RE. The LCI intra-rater reliability was “moderate–substantial” for trainees and experts. Color differences were WLI: 12.3, LCI: 22.7 in LA grade M; and WLI: 18.2, LCI: 31.9 in erosive RE (P < 0.001 for WLI vs. LCI).

Conclusion

LCI versus WLI and BLI led to improved visibility for RE after subjective and objective evaluations. Visibility and the ICC for minimal change esophagitis were lower than for erosive RE for LCI. With LCI, RE images contrasting better with the surrounding esophageal mucosa were more clearly viewed.

Confocal Laser Endomicroscopic Findings of Refractory Erosive Reflux Disease versus Non-Erosive Reflux Disease with Anti-Reflux Mucosectomy: An in vivo and ex vivo Study

Background/Aims

To date, there is no standard tool to diagnose gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Typically, GERD is a non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) that does not present endoscopic abnormalities. Confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) has been shown to be an effective tool to identify and diagnose GERD. We aimed to investigate the cellular and vascular changes in vivo and ex vivo through CLE in patients with GERD.

Methods

Patients with refractory GERD who underwent mucosectomy were recruited. The distal esophagus was observed in vivo using CLE. Mucosectomy tissue was stained with acriflavine and CLE image was obtained ex vivo. We compared cellular and vascular changes in CLE between erosive reflux disease (ERD), NERD, and a control group.

Results

Eleven patients who underwent anti-reflux mucosectomy and five control patients were enrolled in the study. Patients with ERD and NERD presented greater dilated intercellular space than patients in the control group on CLE image. The diameter, number, and cross-sectional area of the intra-papillary capillary loops (IPCLs) were significantly larger in the ERD group than in the NERD group. The irregular shape of the IPCLs were observed in both patients with ERD and NERD.

Conclusions

The irregular shape of the IPCLs were significantly correlated with a positive diagnosis of GERD. CLE may diagnose NERD with high sensitivity and accuracy.

A Novel Susceptibility Locus Near GRIK2 Associated With Erosive Esophagitis in a Korean Cohort

INTRODUCTION

The male-predominant sex difference through the spectrum of erosive esophagitis to Barrett's esophagus is widely known. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) stratified by sex for identifying factors that can predict the endoscopically diagnosed erosive esophagitis.

METHODS

Erosive esophagitis was diagnosed by endoscopy and assessed for severity. We identified genetic factors associated with erosive esophagitis that accounted for the sex differences in a cohort of 4,242 participants via a GWAS. After quality control and imputation, genetic associations with erosive esophagitis were investigated by multivariate linear regression in 3,620 subjects. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with P < 5.0 × 10 were considered significant genome wide, and a genetic risk score was constructed for the prediction of erosive esophagitis risk.

RESULTS

Six genome-wide significant SNPs near the GRIK2 gene on chromosome 6 were found to be associated with erosive esophagitis only in male subjects. These were predictive of severity through a genetic risk score (P < 0.05), and the findings were validated in a cohort of 622 subjects (P < 0.05).

DISCUSSION

This is the first GWAS of erosive esophagitis, and we identified 6 genome-wide significant SNPs in male subjects. These SNPs could help explain the pathogenesis of erosive esophagitis and contribute to the understanding of sex differences. Further genetic investigation could allow for the prediction of high risk for erosive esophagitis and development of new treatment options.

Short-Term Symptomatic Relief in Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Comparative Study of Esomeprazole and Vonoprazan

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Proton pump inhibitors and vonoprazan (a potassium-competitive acid blocker) are recommended as first-line treatments for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, few reports have investigated the onset of action of these agents for GERD symptom relief. The present study compared the symptom relief of esomeprazole with that of vonoprazan via monitoring self-reported GERD symptoms after treatment initiation.

METHODS

This was a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel group, comparative clinical study between esomeprazole (20 mg/day) and vonoprazan (20 mg/day) administered for 4 weeks to patients with GERD symptoms. Patients who had scores ≥ 8 on the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GerdQ) were defined as having GERD and enrolled in this study. Sixty patients were randomly assigned to either the esomeprazole group (n = 30) or the vonoprazan group (n = 30). Treatment response rates in each drug group were evaluated according to the GerdQ. The Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD (FSSG) scores from the 1st day after treatment initiation and the Global Overall Symptom (GOS) scale scores during treatment were also evaluated.

RESULTS

At 4 weeks, the treatment response rates for symptom relief according to the GerdQ were 88.0% in the esomeprazole group and 81.8% in the vonoprazan group. The GOS scales, which reflect the impact of GERD symptoms, were similar for both groups. The FSSG scores decreased from the 1st to the 14th day in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

There were no substantial differences in the symptom relief between the two groups at any time point in this short-term study.

Carditis: a relevant marker of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Data from a prospective central European multicenter study on histological and endoscopic diagnosis of esophagitis (histoGERD trial)

The columnar-lined mucosa at the gastroesophageal junction may contain an inflammatory infiltrate, commonly referred to as carditis (or cardia gastritis). The etiology of carditis is not entirely clear since published data are conflicting. Some authors believe it to be secondary to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and others to Helicobacter pylori gastritis. This prospective study aims at clarifying the relationship between carditis and the histological, clinical, and endoscopic findings of GERD, in a large cohort of individuals negative for H. pylori infection. Eight hundred and seventy-three individuals (477 females and 396 males, median age 53 years) participated in this study. Biopsy material was systematically sampled from above and below the gastroesophageal junction. Reflux-associated changes of the esophageal squamous epithelium were assessed according to the Esohisto consensus guidelines. Grading of carditis was performed according to the Updated Sydney System, known from the histological evaluation of gastritis. In total, 590 individuals (67.5%) had chronic carditis. Of these, 468 (53.6%) had mild chronic inflammation, with 321 individuals (68.6%) showing no or minimal changes on endoscopic examination (Los Angeles Categories N and M). The presence of chronic carditis was associated with several GERD-related parameters of the esophageal squamous epithelium (P < 0.0001), and data retained statistical significance even when analysis was restricted to individuals with mild chronic carditis and/or endoscopically normal mucosa. Chronic carditis was also associated with the presence of intestinal metaplasia (P < 0.0001). In addition, chronic carditis had a statistically significant association with patients' symptoms of GERD (P = 0.0107). This observation remained valid for mild chronic carditis in all patients (P = 0.0038) and in those with mild chronic carditis and normal endoscopic mucosa (P = 0.0217). In conclusion, chronic carditis appears to be the immediate consequence of GERD, correlating with patients' symptoms and endoscopic diagnosis. These results are valid in individuals with nonerosive reflux disease, which indicates a higher sensitivity of histological diagnosis. Our findings may impact the routine assessment of reflux patients.

Linked color imaging improves detection of minimal change esophagitis in non-erosive reflux esophagitis patients

Background and study aims  Non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) includes minimal change esophagitis (MCE) and no endoscopic abnormalities. However, for most endoscopists, it is difficult to detect MCE with conventional white-light endoscopy (WLE). Linked color imaging (LCI) technology is the most recently developed image-enhancing technology and improves detection and differentiation of subtle mucosal changes using a color contrast method. This study assessed the efficacy of WLE combined with LCI for diagnosing MCE compared with WLE. Patients and methods  Between February and May 2017, 44 NERD patients and 40 healthy subjects were enrolled in our study. First, the distal esophagus was examined using WLE followed by LCI. Second, three experienced endoscopists observed all the patients' white-light (WL) images and corresponding images of WL and LCI and then recorded presence or absence of minimal change esophagitis (MCE +/-). The proportion of minimal change between the two groups was then compared. Third, five blinded endoscopists with different levels of endoscopic experience assessed whether MCE was present. Intraobserver reproducibility and interobserver agreement were described using the kappa value. Results  The proportion of MCE in the NERD group (70.8 %, 35/48) was higher than that in the control group (22.5 %, 9/40, P  < 0.001) when diagnosed by the three experienced endoscopists. Detection rates for MCE using WLE combined with LCI were higher than those using WLE (43/88, 48.9 % vs. 29/88, 33.0 %, P  < 0.001). With WLE combined with LCI, intraobserver reproducibility significantly improved, indicating that the combined approach can improve interobserver agreement compared with using WLE alone. Conclusions  Endoscopic diagnosis of MCE using WLE combined with LCI images is effective. Intraobserver reproducibility and interobserver agreement in MCE can be improved when LCI is applied with conventional imaging (Clinical trial registration number: NCT03068572).

Long-term functional outcomes of Roux-en-Y versus Billroth I reconstructions after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: a propensity-score matching analysis

BACKGROUND

Only a few reports discuss long-term functional outcomes and changes observed in patients over several years following a distal gastrectomy. We investigated long-term functional outcomes and changes after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy based on the analysis of postoperative conditions and endoscopic findings observed in patients.

METHODS

The study group comprised 159 patients who underwent Roux-en-Y reconstruction following laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (R-Y group) between December 2008 and November 2012 and 78 patients who underwent Billroth I reconstruction (B-I group) between January 2002 and November 2012. To minimize bias between the two groups, propensity scores were calculated using a logistic regression model. The groups were compared with respect to postoperative conditions and endoscopic findings at 1, 3, and 5 years postoperatively.

RESULTS

The B-I group demonstrated more frequent heartburn than the R-Y group at 3 and 5 years postoperatively. No significant differences were found in terms of loss of body weight and food intake. Endoscopic findings showed significantly lesser residual food and remnant gastritis in the R-Y group at each annual postoperative follow-up. The incidence of bile reflux and reflux esophagitis in the B-I group gradually increased over the years and showed a significant difference at the culmination of the 5-year postoperative follow-up, compared to the R-Y group.

CONCLUSIONS

Roux-en-Y reconstruction was superior to Billroth I reconstruction in terms of frequency of occurrence of residual food, bile reflux, remnant gastritis, and reflux esophagitis in the long term. Differences between the two methods became more evident as the follow-up period lengthened.

Efficacy of vonoprazan for 24-week maintenance therapy of patients with healed reflux esophagitis refractory to proton pump inhibitors

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of a potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB), vonoprazan, for the maintenance therapy of healed reflux esophagitis (RE). A total of 60 patients were enrolled in this open-label, single-center, prospective study. All patients were diagnosed with RE with a frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (FSSG) total score ≥8 following treatment with standard proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for a minimum of 8 weeks. Standard PPI treatment was switched to vonoprazan 20 mg once daily for 4 weeks. A total of 52 patients, who had no endoscopic evidence of erosive esophagitis following vonoprazan treatment, received maintenance therapy with vonoprazan 10 mg once daily for 24 weeks. Symptoms were evaluated using the FSSG and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopies were performed following 24 weeks of maintenance therapy. The primary endpoint was to determine the proportion of patients who exhibited maintenance of healed RE refractory to PPIs following 24 weeks of maintenance therapy with vonoprazan 10 mg once daily. Secondary endpoints included evaluation of the proportion of patients with symptomatic non-relapse at 24 weeks. Maintenance therapy with vonoprazan 10 mg once daily prevented relapse of esophageal mucosal breaks in 37/43 (86.0%) patients at 24 weeks. However, the number of patients with symptomatic relapse was 1 (1.9%) and 4 (7.7%) at 4 and 8 weeks, respectively. A total of 4 patients were withdrawn due to loss to follow-up. At the end of the 24-week maintenance period, the symptomatic non-relapse rate for acid reflux-associated and dysmotility symptom FSSG scores were 86.5 and 80.8%, respectively. Furthermore, the symptomatic non-relapse rate for reflux, abdominal pain, indigestion, diarrhea, and constipation GSRS scores at 24 weeks were 86.5, 80.8, 75.0, 71.2 and 76.9%, respectively. No serious adverse events were reported during the study. The mean gastrin level was 1,059 pg/ml. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that vonoprazan 10 mg once daily is effective for 24-week maintenance therapy of healed RE refractory to PPIs.

[Minimal Change Esophagitis]

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is defined as a condition which develops when the reflux of gastric contents causes troublesome symptoms and long-term complications. GERD can be divided into erosive reflux disease and non-erosive reflux disease based on endoscopic findings defined by the presence of mucosal break. The Los Angeles classification excludes minimal changes as an evidence of reflux esophagitis because of poor interobserver agreement. In the Asian literature, minimal changes are considered as one of the endoscopic findings of reflux esophagitis, but the clinical significance is still controversial. Minimal change esophagitis is recognized quite frequently among patients with GERD and many endoscopists recognize such findings in their clinical practice. This review is intended to clarify the definition of minimal change esophagitis and their histology, interobserver agreement, and symptom association with GERD.

A comparison of outcomes of three reconstruction methods after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to compare the short-term surgical and long-term functional outcomes of Billroth I, Billroth II, and Roux-en-Y reconstruction after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively collected data from 697 patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for operable gastric cancer between January 2009 and December 2012. The patients were classified into three groups according to the reconstruction methods: Billroth I, Billroth II, and Roux-en-Y. The parameters evaluated included patient and tumor characteristics, operative details, and postoperative complications classified according to the Clavien-Dindo classification. Endoscopic findings of the remnant stomach were evaluated according to the residue, gastritis, bile (RGB) classification and the Los Angeles classification 1 year postoperatively.

RESULTS

Billroth I, Billroth II, and Roux-en-Y were performed in 165 (23.7%), 371 (53.2%), and 161 patients (23.1%), respectively. Operation time was significantly shorter (173.4±44.7 minute, P<0.001) as was time to first flatus (2.8±0.8 days, P=0.009), time to first soft diet was significantly faster (4.3±1.0 days, P<0.001), and postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter (7.7±4.0 days, P=0.004) in Billroth I in comparison to the other methods. Postoperative complications higher than Clavien-Dindo grade III occurred in 61 patients (8.8%) with no statistically significant differences between groups (P=0.797). Endoscopic findings confirmed that gastric residue, gastritis, bile reflux, and reflux esophagitis were significantly lower in Roux-en-Y (P<0.001) patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Roux-en-Y reconstruction after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for middle-third gastric cancer is beneficial in terms of long-term functional outcome, whereas Billroth I reconstruction for distal-third gastric cancer has a superior short-term surgical outcome and postoperative weight change.

Long-term effectiveness of preserved celiac branch of vagal nerve after Roux-en-Y reconstruction in laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to clarify the effectiveness of preserving the celiac branch (CB) of the vagal trunk after the Roux-en-Y (R-Y) reconstruction in laparoscopy-assisted distal gastrectomy (LADG).

METHODS

One hundred twenty patients with pathological stage I gastric cancer underwent R-Y reconstruction after LADG with D1 + β lymphadenectomy between January 2004 and March 2009 and were followed up for 5 years. The patients were divided into 2 groups: the preservation group (P-CB) and the resection group (R-CB). Evaluated variables included symptoms, endoscopic findings, nutritional status, and gallstone formation at 5 years after gastrectomy.

RESULTS

Gallstone formation was significantly less common in P-CB than in R-CB (16 vs. 33%, p = 0.035). One patient (2%) in P-CB and 4 (7%) in R-CB underwent surgery for symptomatic gallstones. On multivariate analysis of gallstone formation, R-CB was an independent risk factor for gallstone formation (odds ratio = 2.5, 95% confidential interval: 1.0-6.1, p = 0.049). Symptoms and endoscopic findings did not differ significantly between the groups. Relative values of body weight, serum albumin level, and total cholesterol level also did not significantly differ between the groups.

CONCLUSION

Preserving the CB independently contributes to the prevention of gallstone formation during long-term follow-up after R-Y reconstruction following LADG.

Localized esophageal eosinophilia: Is it an early manifestation of eosinophilic esophagitis or a subtype of gastroesophageal reflux disease?

BACKGROUND AND AIM

We recently encountered patients with localized esophageal eosinophilia in a small area of the esophagus. However, this condition remains to be described in detail, and its clinical significance has not been established. We investigated the clinical, endoscopic and histological features of localized esophageal eosinophilia in comparison with diffuse esophageal eosinophilia.

METHODS

We investigated 10 patients with localized esophageal eosinophilia, and compared them with 23 who had diffuse esophageal eosinophilia. Whether esophageal eosinophilia was localized or diffuse was determined on the basis of endoscopic findings. Localized esophageal eosinophilia was defined endoscopically as a focal area of esophageal eosinophilia, whereas diffuse esophageal eosinophilia was defined as a widespread area of esophageal eosinophilia involving more than one of three locations: the upper, middle and lower esophagus. Histological esophageal eosinophilia in the mucosa showing endoscopic abnormality was confirmed by biopsy with a peak of ≥ 15 eosinophils/high-power field.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in age, gender distribution, allergic conditions or peripheral eosinophilia between the two groups. In all cases but one, localized esophageal eosinophilia was observed in a small area above the esophagogastric junction. Esophageal symptoms such as dysphagia, heartburn or chest pain were present in 20% of the localized group and in 65% of the diffuse group, the difference being statistically significant (P<0.05). The maximum amounts of eosinophils infiltrating the esophageal mucosa did not differ between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Esophageal eosinophilia can be localized in a small area, especially above the esophagogastric junction. Gastric acid reflux or contact may influence this condition in addition to its allergic pathogenesis.

Advantage of completely laparoscopic gastrectomy with linear stapled reconstruction: a long-term follow-up study

BACKGROUND

Completely laparoscopic gastrectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis was introduced to achieve safer anastomosis and smaller scars. Although several reports have shown the feasibility of linear-stapled anastomosis, there are no studies of a large number of patients assessing the long-term complications and functional outcomes.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 345 patients who had intended to undergo completely laparoscopic distal or total gastrectomy with linear-stapled anastomosis between September 2005 and January 2012. This study evaluated both the short- and long-term complications, as well as the endoscopic findings, changes in body weight and serum albumin.

RESULTS

Completely laparoscopic gastrectomy was successfully achieved in 342 patients (99.1%). Short-term complications occurred in 59 patients (17.3%). Reconstruction-related complications were observed in 19 patients (5.6%). Three patients with anastomotic leakage required reoperation. No patient experienced anastomotic stenosis over a mean follow-up period of 29.6 months. Two patients underwent an emergency operation for an internal hernia after total gastrectomy. Adhesive intestinal obstruction was observed in 5 patients (1.5%), but all were resolved without surgical intervention. Body weight loss at 2 years after distal and total gastrectomy was 7.2% and 13.9%, which were similar to previous reports of open surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

Completely laparoscopic gastrectomy with linear-stapled anastomosis is a feasible choice for gastric cancer patients with some potential long-term advantages such as less anastomotic stenosis and fewer adhesive intestinal obstructions.

Observer variability in gastric neoplasm assessment using the vessel plus surface classification for magnifying endoscopy with narrow band imaging

Background/Aims

Recent studies have demonstrated that magnifying endoscopy with narrow band imaging (ME-NBI) facilitates differentiation of early gastric cancer from gastric adenoma using vessel plus surface (VS) classification. This study estimated the interobserver and intraobserver agreement of endoscopists using the Yao VS classification system for the gastric mucosal surface.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection or endoscopic mucosal resection, and selected cases in which preoperative ME-NBI was conducted. Before testing endoscopists, a 20-minute training module was given. Static ME-NBI images (n=47 cases) were presented to seven endoscopists (two experts and five trainees) who were asked to assess the images in 20 seconds using the Yao VS classification system. After 2 weeks, the endoscopists were asked to analyze the images again. The κ statistic was calculated for intraobserver and interobserver variability.

Results

The mean κ for intraobserver agreement was 0.69 (experts, 0.74; trainees, 0.64). The mean κ for interobserver agreement was 0.42 (experts, 0.49; trainees, 0.40).

Conclusions

We obtained reliable results as assessed by observer variability, with only brief training on VS classification. The VS classification appears to provide an objective assessment of ME-NBI for trainees who are not familiar with ME-NBI.

Carcinogenesis of Barrett's esophagus: a review of the clinical literature

Barrett's esophagus (BE) is a premalignant condition of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Although the incidence of BE has risen rapidly in the West, it is rare in Asia despite a recent increase in the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease. Controversies over the definition of BE are presented because most cases show short-segment BE, especially ultra-short BE, in Asia. Here we review possible risk factors for the development of EAC, particularly possible roles of ethnicity, specialized intestinal metaplasia (SIM), BE length, and environmental factors, such as Helicobacter pylori infection and obesity. Additionally, we summarize recent studies on the effect of chemoprevention including proton pump inhibitors, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or aspirin in order to reduce the risk of neoplastic progression in BE patients. Although substantial knowledge of risk factors of dysplasia/EAC in BE is shown, the risk for neoplastic development may be influenced by geographic variation, study population, the presence or absence of SIM or dysplasia at baseline, and the small number of BE patients investigated. Recently, the efficiency of surveillance for BE patients has been discussed from the standpoint of cost-effectiveness. It may be too difficult to draw conclusions because no randomized clinical trials of BE surveillance have been performed.

Association between obesity and Barrett's esophagus in a Japanese population: a hospital-based, cross-sectional study

Background

The association between obesity and Barrett’s esophagus (BE) in the Japanese population remains unclear. The prevalence of BE and its associated risk factors was examined.

Methods

A cross-sectional study of 1581 consecutive individuals who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was conducted. The prevalence of endoscopically suspected BE (ESBE) was evaluated. Obesity was evaluated by body mass index (BMI, ≥ 25 kg/m²) and waist circumference (WC) (males, ≥ 85 cm; females, ≥ 90 cm). Because endoscopic diagnosis of ultra-short ESBE (<1 cm in extent) is difficult and highly unreliable, this type of ESBE was excluded from the study.

Results

In proton pump inhibitor (PPI) non-users, the prevalence of ESBE ≥ 1 cm was 5.6%. In univariate analysis, male sex and reflux esophagitis (RE) were significantly associated with BE, but BMI, WC, and reflux symptoms were not. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, only RE (odds ratio [OR] = 3.48, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.89-6.41, p < 0.0001) was an independent risk factor for BE; obesity and the other factors were not. In contrast, RE (OR 5.67, p = 0.0004) and large WC (OR 5.09, p = 0.0005) were significant risk factors for ESBE ≥ 1 cm in PPI users. Only male sex, but not obesity or the other risk factors, was associated with an increased risk of RE in patients not taking PPIs.

Conclusions

RE, but not obesity, may have an independent association with the risk of ESBE in the Japanese population. Furthermore, obesity measures were not independent risks for RE. Interestingly, PPI-refractory RE and large WC were risk factors for ESBE ≥1 cm in patients taking PPIs.

Prevalence of and risk factors for gastrointestinal diseases in korean americans and native koreans undergoing screening endoscopy

BACKGROUND/AIMS

In South Korea, health check-ups are readily accessible to the public. We aimed to compare the prevalence of upper gastrointestinal (GI) and lower GI diseases in Korean Americans and native Koreans to determine differences and risk factors.

METHODS

In total, 1,942 subjects who visited Gangnam Severance Hospital from July 2008 to November 2010 for a health check-up were enrolled. Basic characteristics and laboratory data for the subjects were collected. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy were performed. In total, 940 Korean Americans (group 1) and 1,002 native Koreans (group 2) were enrolled.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of GI diseases for each group (group 1 vs group 2) were as follows: reflux esophagitis (RE) (9.65% vs 7.9%), gastric ulcer (2.8% vs 3.4%), duodenal ulcer (2.3% vs 3.6%), gastric cancer (0.4% vs 0.3%), colorectal polyp (35.9% vs 35.6%), colorectal cancer (0.5% vs 0.5%), and hemorrhoids (29.4% vs 21.3%). The prevalence of hemorrhoids was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (p=0.001). In the multivariable analysis of group 1, male sex, age over 50 years, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia predicted colorectal polyps. Male sex and high fasting glucose levels were associated with RE.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study showed that the prevalence of GI diseases (except hemorrhoids) in Korean Americans was similar to that observed in native Koreans. Therefore, the Korean guidelines for upper and lower screening endoscopy may be applicable to Korean Americans.

What is the role of endoscopy and oesophageal biopsies in the management of GERD?

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a diagnosis applicable to "all individuals who are exposed to the risk of physical complications from gastroesophageal reflux, or who experience clinically significant impairment of health related well being (quality of life) due to reflux related symptoms, after adequate reassurance of the benign nature of their symptoms". It remains, predominantly, a symptom-based diagnosis, confirmed clinically by a response to acid suppression therapy although it is accompanied by demonstrable increases in acid exposure on esophageal pH-metry and by endoscopic and histological changes. Standard white light endoscopy permits diagnosis of erosive reflux disease (ERD) which, if present, should be graded for severity using the Los Angeles classification system. However, the role of endoscopy in clinical practice is, primarily, to evaluate patients with persistent symptoms, despite medical therapy, or to investigate alarm features and exclude complications such as Barrett' oesophagus which should be assessed using the Prague C & M criteria. Newer endoscopic techniques allow detection of 'minimal change' GERD lesions and Barrett's oesophagus-associated dysplastic or neoplastic lesions; however, none of the newer techniques has been validated for routine clinical practice. There is an increasing recognition that histology in GERD may provide useful diagnostic information, in part to exclude other lesions, such as eosinophilic oesophagitis, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia or malignancy and, in part, to identify changes, such as basal cell hyperplasia, papillary elongation and, most recently, dilated intercellular spaces, that are consistent with GERD. However, more widespread incorporation of histology into the clinical management of GERD will require a standardized biopsy protocol and efforts to minimise interobserver differences in the identification of GERD-related histological changes.

The efficacy of i-SCAN for detecting reflux esophagitis: a prospective randomized controlled trial

New imaging technologies have been applied in endoscopy to improve the detection and differentiation of subtle mucosal changes using a digital contrast method. Among them, i-SCAN technology is the most recently developed image-enhancing technology. We investigated whether i-SCAN could improve the detection rate of reflux esophagitis. Interobserver agreement between endoscopists was compared with conventional white light (WL) endoscopic examination. We performed a prospective randomized controlled trial. A consecutive series of 514 subjects that underwent an esophagogastroduodenoscopy for health inspection were enrolled and randomized into the i-SCAN group (n = 246) and WL group (n = 268). An esophagogastroduodenoscopy with video recording was used for detecting reflux esophagitis, and reflux esophagitis were categorized by the modified Los Angeles (LA) classification. The total number of reflux esophagitis identified by WL and i-SCAN was 58 (21.7%) and 74 (30.1%), respectively. The diagnostic yield of reflux esophagitis was significantly higher (P = 0.034) in the i-SCAN group (30.1%) as compared to the WL group (21.6%). Using the modified LA classification, the detection rate of minimal changes was significantly higher (P = 0.017) in the i-SCAN group (11.8%) as compared to the WL group (5.6%), but the detection rates of LA-A and LA-B were not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.897 and P = 0.311, respectively). After comparison of the interobserver agreement using randomly selected video clips, the i-SCAN group showed better agreement than the WL group (Kappa value, 0.793 vs. 0.473). Compared to WL endoscopy, applying i-SCAN in daily practice can improve the diagnostic yield of reflux esophagitis by detecting more minimal changes in the squamo-columnar junction of the esophagus and can improve the interobserver agreement of the modified Los Angeles classification.

Long-term outcomes of Roux-en-Y and Billroth-I reconstruction after laparoscopic distal gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG) is an established procedure for the treatment of early gastric cancer. Roux-en-Y (R-Y) or Billroth-I (B-I) reconstruction is generally performed after LDG in Japan. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to compare the effectiveness of R-Y and B-I reconstructions and thereby determine which has better clinical outcomes.

METHODS

We analyzed data from 172 patients with gastric cancer who underwent LDG. Reconstruction was done by R-Y in 83 patients and B-I in 89. All patients were followed up for 5 years. Evaluated variables included symptoms, nutritional status, endoscopic findings, gallstone formation, and later gastrointestinal complications.

RESULTS

Scores for the amount of residue in the gastric stump, remnant gastritis, and bile reflux, calculated according to the "residue, gastritis, bile" scoring system, were significantly lower in the R-Y group (score 0 vs. 1 and more; p = 0.027, <0.001, and <0.001, respectively). The proportion of patients with reflux esophagitis was significantly lower in the R-Y group (p < 0.001). Relative values (postoperative 5 years/preoperative) for body weight, serum albumin level, and total cholesterol level were similar in the two groups (p = 0.59, 0.56, and 0.34, respectively). Gallstone formation did not differ between the groups (p = 0.57). As for later complications, the incidence of gastrointestinal ulcer was 4.5 % in the B-I group, and that of ileus was 3.6 % in the R-Y group, but differences between the groups were not significant (p = 0.12, 0.11, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

As compared with B-I, R-Y was associated with lower long-term incidences of both bile reflux into the gastric remnant and reflux esophagitis.

Reflux esophagitis after esophagectomy: impact of duodenogastroesophageal reflux

Reflux esophagitis (RE) is a known complication disturbing patients' quality of life after esophageal resection. It is generally recognized that bile reflux as well as acid reflux cause RE. However, the clinical influence of acid and bile reflux, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection on RE in the cervical esophagus after esophagectomy is not yet clarified. Sixty patients who underwent cervical esophagogastrostomy following esophagectomy were enrolled in this study. They underwent examination for H. pylori infection, endoscopic examination, and continuous 24-hour pH and bilirubin monitoring, at 1 month after surgery. The influence of acid and/or bile reflux, H. pylori infection, and others on the development of RE were investigated. RE was observed in 19 patients (32%) at 1 month after esophagogastrostomy, mild RE in 16 (27%), and severe RE in 3 (5%). The percentage of time duration of both acid and bile reflux into the cervical esophagus was higher in patients with RE than in those without (P = 0.027, P < 0.001). A significant difference in %time pH < 4 acid reflux was found between mild RE and severe RE (P = 0.014), and a statistical difference in %time abs. > 0.14 between non-RE and mild RE (P = 0.017). Acid and/or bile reflux was observed in 31 patients (52%), acid-only reflux in 6 (10%), bile-only reflux in 15 (25%), and acid-and-bile reflux in 10 (17%). Severe RE was observed only in patients having acid-and-bile reflux. On the univariate analysis, no infection of H. pylori, acid reflux, and bile reflux were determined to be the influencing factors to RE among the clinical factors including age, gender, route of esophageal reconstruction, H. pylori infection, and acid-and-bile reflux. In the subanalysis using the logistic model, there were significant correlations between bile reflux and RE irrespective of the presence of H. pylori infection (P = 0.016, P = 0.007). On the other hand, there was a significant correlation between acid reflux and RE only in patients without H. pylori infection (P = 0.039). In the early period after esophagogastrostomy, bile reflux could cause RE irrespective of H. pylori infection, while acid reflex could cause RE only in patients without H. pylori infection. There is a possibility that bile reflux plays an important role in the development of RE after esophagectomy.

Value of fecal calprotectin in the evaluation of patients with abdominal discomfort: an observational study

Background

The evaluation of patients with abdominal discomfort is challenging and patient selection for endoscopy based on symptoms is not reliable. We evaluated the diagnostic value of fecal calprotectin in patients with abdominal discomfort.

Methods

In an observational study, 575 consecutive patients with abdominal discomfort referred for endoscopy to the Department of Gastroenterology & Hepatology at the University Hospital Basel in Switzerland, were enrolled in the study. Calprotectin was measured in stool samples collected within 24 hours before the investigation using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The presence of a clinically significant finding in the gastrointestinal tract was the primary endpoint of the study. Final diagnoses were adjudicated blinded to calprotectin values.

Results

Median calprotectin levels were higher in patients with significant findings (N = 212, median 97 μg/g, IQR 43-185) than in patients without (N = 326, 10 μg/g, IQR 10-23, P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) to identify a significant finding was 0.877 (95% CI, 0.85-0.90). Using 50 μg/g as cut off yielded a sensitivity of 73% and a specificity of 93% with good positive and negative likelihood ratios (10.8 and 0.29, respectively). Fecal calprotectin was useful as a diagnostic parameter both for findings in the upper intestinal tract (AUC 0.730, 0.66-0.79) and for the colon (AUC 0.912, 0.88-0.94) with higher diagnostic precision for the latter (P < 0.001). In patients > 50 years, the diagnostic precision remained unchanged (AUC 0.889 vs. 0.832, P = 0.165).

Conclusion

In patients with abdominal discomfort, fecal calprotectin is a useful non-invasive marker to identify clinically significant findings of the gastrointestinal tract, irrespective of age.

Efficacy of leukotriene receptor antagonist for erosive esophagitis: a preliminary retrospective comparative study

While diagnostic overlap exists between gastroesophageal reflux disease and eosinophilic esophagitis especially on histological findings, therapeutic approaches for the two disease entities are very different. Recently, anti-inflammatory treatment, in addition to acid suppressants, has been investigated for gastroesophageal reflux disease. This study investigated whether the incidence of endoscopic erosive esophagitis was lower in recipients of long-term leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA) treatment. This retrospective comparative study included 207 recipients of an LTRA and an equal number of controls who underwent screening upper endoscopic examination. Twenty-two (10.6%) and 51 (24.6%) cases of erosive esophagitis were detected in the LTRA and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). A significantly higher incidence of minimal change esophagitis was also found in the controls compared with the LTRA group (14.5% vs. 2.4%, P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, LTRA treatment was significantly and inversely associated with erosive esophagitis (odds ratio [OR], 0.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13 to 0.46). Within the LTRA treatment group, an increased risk of erosive esophagitis was strongly associated with the presence of hiatal hernia (OR, 5.89; 95% CI, 2.20-15.73, P < 0.001) and short duration of LTRA treatment (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.37-0.89, P= 0.022). In conclusion, this preliminary retrospective analysis demonstrated that patients who underwent long-term treatment with a LTRA had low incidence of endoscopic minimal change esophagitis.

What is the best reconstruction method after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer?

BACKGROUND

We performed this prospective randomized study to evaluate what is the best reconstruction method after distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

METHODS

One hundred fifty-nine patients who underwent laparoscopy-assisted or open gastrectomy for gastric cancer were analyzed from March 2006 to August 2007. Billroth I (B-I) anastomosis, Billroth II (B-II) with Braun anastomosis, and Roux-en-Y (R-Y) anastomosis were applied randomly. Additionally, the patients were divided into two groups based on treatment type: laparoscopic and open operation. Endoscopy and hepatobiliary scans were performed to investigate gastric stasis and enterogastric reflux. The Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Index (GIQLI) was used to evaluate postoperative quality of life, and the hematologic test was used to assess nutritional aspect.

RESULTS

Endoscopy revealed that reflux after the R-Y anastomosis procedure was significantly less frequent than after the other anastomosis types at 12 months. Comparison of the GIQLI and the nutritional parameters between the reconstruction types revealed that there were no differences, but a significantly higher GIQLI score was observed in the laparoscopic group immediately following the procedure (P = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS

R-Y anastomosis is superior to B-I and B-II with Braun anastomosis in terms of frequency of bile reflux, despite the fact that there is no difference in the postoperative quality-of-life index and nutritional status between reconstructive procedures. The laparoscopic approach is the better option than open surgery in terms of QOL in the immediate postoperative period.

Systematic review of the epidemiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Japan

BACKGROUND

Epidemiological studies of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Japan vary in design. This systematic review examines the prevalence of GERD in Japan, distinguishing between study methodologies, and reports on changes over time and factors potentially associated with GERD.

METHODS

PubMed and Embase searches identified studies reporting the prevalence of GERD in the general population, primary care patients, and individuals undergoing routine health checks.

RESULTS

Of the twenty eligible studies, half excluded individuals taking acid-suppressive medication, so these studies would have been likely to have underestimated the prevalence by 2-3%. Nine studies reported the prevalence of at least weekly reflux symptoms (the definition closest to the Montreal definition): in seven studies this was 6.5-9.5%, but in two studies that included individuals who underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy the prevalence was 19.0 and 21.8%. Eight studies used symptom scores: prevalence estimates ranged from 10.2 to 29.0% in five studies using the Carlsson-Dent self-administered questionnaire (QUEST), and from 27.0 to 37.6% in three studies using the frequency scale for the symptoms of GERD. Prevalence estimates were 15.1-24.3% in three studies that reported the presence of reflux symptoms of undefined frequency. Six studies reported the prevalence of reflux esophagitis as 4.9-8.2%. Changes in prevalence over time and factors associated with reflux symptoms were inconsistent.

CONCLUSIONS

Few studies have reported the prevalence of GERD in Japan using standardized criteria. Thus, prevalence estimates vary substantially, reflecting differences in study populations and GERD definitions. However, seven studies reported that the prevalence of at least weekly symptoms was 6.5-9.5%, a finding which approaches that reported in Western populations (10-20%).

A study on the diagnosis of minimal endoscopic lesions in nonerosive reflux esophagitis using computed virtual chromoendoscopy (FICE)

CONTEXT: Gastroesophageal reflux disease is very prevalent in the world. Endoscopically it can be classified as nonerosive when there is no mucosal erosive lesion on endoscopy. The presence of endoscopic minimal lesions is included in the Los Angeles classification for reflux disease. Virtual chromoendoscopy Fuji Intelligent Color Enhancement (FICE) is an endoscopic technique that enhances detection of small lesions of the digestive tract. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether the use of FICE improves the diagnosis of minimal lesions on endoscopy, and to assess the association of symptoms with minimal lesions in patients with nonerosive reflux disease. METHODS: One hundred fifty-five patients were enrolled, 62 with typical reflux symptoms and 93 without esophageal symptoms. The patients had normal esophageal endoscopy or minimal lesions. Each patient was examined initially by conventional video endoscopy and then using FICE. RESULTS: Among 155 patients, 113 had a normal conventional endoscopy and 42 had minimal lesions. Sixty-two patients had typical reflux symptoms, and 93 other symptoms unrelated to reflux. In 104 patients, the esophageal mucosa was normal for both conventional endoscopy and FICE, in 42 patients both techniques showed minimal lesions, in 9 patients conventional endoscopy was normal and minimal lesions were shown by FICE. The height and circumference of minimal lesions were greater using FICE than that measured by conventional endoscopy. There was a significant association of the presence of minimal lesions with male gender, but not with alcoholism, smoking, anti-inflammatory drugs and age. The diagnosis of minimal lesions was observer-dependent, both in conventional endoscopy as using FICE. CONCLUSIONS: The use of FICE improves the diagnosis of minimal lesions as compared to conventional videoendoscopy, although this diagnosis remains observer-dependent. There was no association between the presences of minimal lesions with reflux symptoms.

The endoscopic diagnosis of nonerosive reflux disease using flexible spectral imaging color enhancement image: a feasibility trial

Nonerosive reflux disease (NERD) is classified into grade M (minimal change, endoscopically; erythema without sharp demarcation, whitish turbidity, and/or invisibility of vessels due to these findings) and grade N (normal) in the modified Los Angeles classification system in Japan. However, the classification of grades M and N NERD is not included in the original Los Angeles system because interobserver agreement for the conventional endoscopic diagnosis of grades M or N NERD is poor. Flexible spectral imaging color enhancement (FICE) is a virtual chromoendoscopy technique that enhances mucosal and vascular visibility. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether the endoscopic diagnosis of grades M or N NERD using FICE images is feasible. Between April 2006 and May 2008, 26 NERD patients and 31 controls were enrolled in the present study. First, an experienced endoscopist assessed the color pattern of minimal change in FICE images using conventional endoscopic images and FICE images side-by-side and comparing the proportion of minimal change between the two groups. Second, three blinded endoscopists assessed the presence or absence of minimal change in both groups using conventional endoscopic images and FICE images separately. Intraobserver variability was compared using McNemar's test, and interobserver agreement was described using the kappa value. Minimal changes, such as erythema and whitish turbidity, which were detected using conventional endoscopic images, showed up as navy blue and pink-white, respectively, in color using FICE images in the present FICE mode. The NERD group had a higher proportion of minimal change, compared with the control group (77% and 48%, respectively) (P= 0.033). In all three readers, the detection rates of minimal change using FICE images were greater than those using conventional endoscopic images (P= 0.025, <0.0001, and 0.034 for readers A, B, and C, respectively). The kappa values for all pairs of three readers using FICE images were between 0.683 and 0.812, while those using conventional endoscopic images were between 0.364 and 0.624. Thus, the endoscopic diagnosis of grades M or N NERD using FICE images is feasible and may improve interobserver agreement.

Proton pump inhibitor step-down therapy for GERD: A multi-center study in Japan

AIM: To investigate the predictors of success in step-down of proton pump inhibitor and to assess the quality of life (QOL).

METHODS: Patients who had heartburn twice a week or more were treated with 20 mg omeprazole (OPZ) once daily for 8 wk as an initial therapy (study 1). Patients whose heartburn decreased to once a week or less at the end of the initial therapy were enrolled in study 2 and treated with 10 mg OPZ as maintenance therapy for an additional 6 mo (study 2). QOL was investigated using the gastrointestinal symptom rating scale (GSRS) before initial therapy, after both 4 and 8 wk of initial therapy, and at 1, 2, 3, and 6 mo after starting maintenance therapy.

RESULTS: In study 1, 108 patients were analyzed. Their characteristics were as follows; median age: 63 (range: 20-88) years, sex: 46 women and 62 men. The success rate of the initial therapy was 76%. In the patients with successful initial therapy, abdominal pain, indigestion and reflux GSRS scores were improved. In study 2, 83 patients were analyzed. Seventy of 83 patients completed the study 2 protocol. In the per-protocol analysis, 80% of 70 patients were successful for step-down. On multivariate analysis of baseline demographic data and clinical information, no previous treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) [odds ratio (OR) 0.255, 95% CI: 0.06-0.98] and a lower indigestion score in GSRS at the beginning of step-down therapy (OR 0.214, 95% CI: 0.06-0.73) were found to be the predictors of successful step-down therapy. The improved GSRS scores by initial therapy were maintained through the step-down therapy.

CONCLUSION: OPZ was effective for most GERD patients. However, those who have had previous treatment for GERD and experience dyspepsia before step-down require particular monitoring for relapse.