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Query: UMLS:C0017168 (gastroesophageal reflux disease)
 11,783 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

While many definitions exist, dyspepsia is best considered a symptom complex (not a diagnosis) thought to arise in the upper gastrointestinal tract, unrelated to defecation. The symptom complex includes: upper abdominal/epigastric pain or discomfort, postprandial fullness, bloating, belching, early satiety, anorexia, nausea, retching, vomiting, heartburn and regurgitation. Patients with typical gastroesophageal reflux, biliary colic and irritable bowel syndrome should not be considered to have dyspepsia. After investigations, if a cause of dyspepsia is found, this is 'organic or structural' dyspepsia. If no structural cause is found, this is best called 'functional dyspepsia', subclassified into a) ulcer-like b) dysmotility-like c) reflux-like and d) unspecified dyspepsia. This symptom guided classification should be shifted to the first presentation with uninvestigated dyspepsia, prior to any investigations, to define a clinically useful guide to patient care. As there is considerable symptom overlap, it may be useful to combine together the ulcer and reflux-like groups into an acid-related dyspepsia group. In 1998, another approach would be to screen dyspeptic patients with an H. pylori test and classify them as H. pylori positive and negative dyspepsia.
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PMID:Definitions of dyspepsia: time for a reappraisal. 1002 67

Since Helicobacter pylori (Hp) was first isolated in 1983, much work has been carried out on the pathogenic effects of this organism. Hp infection is common in humans and currently is the most important etiologic agent in the development of chronic active gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers, carcinoma and Malt-lymphoma of the stomach. Moreover Hp infection has also been associated with various extradigestive diseases. At present, a role of Hp infection in dyspepsia is discussed. Dyspepsia is defined by persistence of pain, burning or discomfort localised to the upper abdomen; some authors include in dyspepsia symptoms such as belching, bloating, alitosis, nausea, postprandial repletion, vomiting and regurgitation. In absence of any underlying pathologies, such as peptic ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux, pancreatitis, biliary tract disease or others, dyspepsia is defined as functional or idiopathic dyspepsia. Functional dyspepsia may be distinct in ulcer, reflux or dysmotility-like dyspepsia and unspecified dyspepsia. Hp infection is common in dyspeptic patients and a role of this bacterium has been postulated mostly in ulcer-like dyspepsia. Mechanisms by when Hp induces dyspeptic symptoms are uncertain; bacterial cytotoxins, phlogosis mediators, activity of chronic gastritis Helicobacter-related and host immune response probably play an important role in pathogenesis of functional dyspepsia. However, dyspepsia is not present only in infected patients; therefore other pathogenic factors may be implicated in expression of dyspeptic symptoms in uninfected subjects, such as gastric dysmotility, modifications of gastric output or altered visceral sensibility, psychological factors, gastroesophageal reflux and irritable bowel.
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PMID:[Dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori]. 1036 46

Diabetic gastropathy is a term that encompasses a number of neuromuscular dysfunctions of the stomach, including abnormalities of gastric contractility, tone, and myoelectrical activity in patients with diabetes. These abnormalities range from tachygastrias to antral hypomotility and frank gastroparesis. Diabetic gastropathies may be acutely produced during hyperglycemia. Symptoms of chronic diabetic gastropathy include chronic nausea, vague epigastric discomfort, postprandial fullness, early satiety, and vomiting. Because these symptoms are nonspecific, other disorders such as mechanical obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract, gastroesophageal reflux disease, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, mesenteric ischemia, and drug effects should be considered. Neuromuscular abnormalities of the stomach may be assessed noninvasively with gastric emptying tests, electrogastrography, and ultrasound. Gastrokinetic agents such as metoclopramide, cisapride, domperidone, and erythromycin increase fundic or antral contractions and/or eradicate gastric dysrhythmias. Diet and glucose control also are important in the management of diabetic gastropathy. As the pathophysiology of diabetic gastropathy is better understood, more specific and improved treatments will evolve.
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PMID:Diabetic gastropathy: gastric neuromuscular dysfunction in diabetes mellitus: a review of symptoms, pathophysiology, and treatment. 1038 75

An increasing amount of evidence indicates that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a contributing factor to hoarseness, throat clearing, throat discomfort, chronic cough, and shortness of breath. The association between GERD and these supraesophageal symptoms may be elusive. Heartburn and regurgitation are absent in more than 50% of patients. Acid reflux should be considered if signs of GERD are present, symptoms are unexplained, or symptoms are refractory to therapy. The diagnosis of GERD may be unclear, despite a careful history and initial evaluation. A high index of suspicion is required to make the diagnosis. An empiric trial of antireflux therapy is appropriate when GERD is suspected. Multiprobe ambulatory pH monitoring is currently the diagnostic test of choice, but the level of sensitivity and specificity for supraesophageal manifestations of GERD is uncertain. Response to antireflux therapy is less predictable than typical GERD. More intensive acid suppression and longer treatment duration are usually required.
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PMID:Supraesophageal manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease. 1043 98

The meaning and definition of dyspepsia continues to challenge clinical investigators and has led to the setting up of several international working teams. However, confusion continues to reign around this term. The effort to classify patients with dyspepsia into subgroups according to their most predominant symptoms has failed to provide clues to the underlying disease, or even to discriminate between functional and organic dyspepsia. With these limitations in mind, the question arises: is there any reason for putting further effort into developing a world-wide definition of dyspepsia when, in addition to the aforementioned shortcomings, further variables such as geographical region, ethnic background, culture and sanitary resources come into play? The answer is that only by establishing a reproducible methodology for individual symptom assessment using a well-defined protocol will comparisons of the prevalence of dyspepsia and the impact of different therapeutic interventions become possible around the world. The data on dyspepsia prevalence, nearly all arising from studies in a few developed geographical areas and countries, are of the order of 1-4% of all consultations in all primary care medicine. However, estimates of adults affected by dyspepsia are as high as 20-40%. The magnitude of these statistics underlines the necessity for further work on the concept of dyspepsia and its major functional subgroups, following the exclusion of any organic causes. Issues such as 'investigate dyspepsia before starting with any kind of treatment or treat dyspepsia before further investigation' or the debate about whether to 'eradicate or ignore Helicobacter pylori in functional dyspepsia' will remain unresolved unless studies performed throughout the world use widely comparable and acceptable definitions and criteria for these conditions. Since the first international working party report in 1988, definitions of dyspepsia have included the description of 'upper abdominal pain or discomfort' and, more recently, have specified 'pain or discomfort centered in the upper abdomen' in order to emphasise further the site of origin as the upper alimentary tract (stomach-duodenum). However, a major change was evident in the more recent Rome I and Rome II reports, in which the symptoms heartburn, acid regurgitation, and belching were excluded from the definition of dyspepsia because of their relation to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and aerophagia. The intention to define a set of symptoms for dyspepsia is good, but we continue to be faced with overlaps. How should the patient with epigastric pain and heartburn after endoscopic exclusion of duodenal ulcer and reflux esophagitis be classified: dyspepsia or GERD? In cases of abnormal gastroesophageal reflux, 24-h pH monitoring could help to resolve this dilemma, but what if this investigation turns out to be normal? In this field, we need to perform careful studies. In addition, we need to consider the lifestyle and cultural habits of people around the world when translating upper gastrointestinal symptoms into dyspepsia. A step forward in the definition of dyspepsia was attempted by the recent working party for the Rome II consensus on functional gastrointestinal disorders (N. Talley et al.). In this project, the symptoms of dyspepsia were individually described not by a single term, but by painting a 'word picture', to make it easier for patients to express their symptoms, and give doctors and clinical investigators a better understanding of the 'dyspeptic problem' of each individual. It is advisable to follow this approach, since a clear picture of a patient's symptoms, including their duration and intensity, in association with the modern technical approaches that allow investigation beyond organic causes of dyspepsia, will lead to progress in our understanding and better communication about this problem within the medical community, and ultimately to better treatment.
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PMID:Current concepts in dyspepsia: a world perspective. 1044 9

Dyspepsia, according to the internationally accepted Rome criteria, refers to pain or discomfort centred in the upper abdomen; patients with predominant heartburn are excluded from this group, although minor or infrequent heartburn is commonly associated with dyspepsia. It is an important condition not only because it is common and costly, but because it may indicate the presence of serious disease such as peptic ulcer or gastric cancer. However, the most frequent causes of dyspepsia are functional dyspepsia and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. The discovery of Helicobacter pylori has resulted in important advances in the management of dyspepsia. The clinician faced with a patient who has persistent or recurrent dyspepsia needs to differentiate clearly those patients who have not been previously investigated from patients documented to have functional dyspepsia after investigation (fig 1). Here, the management of H pylori positive dyspeptic patients who have and have not been fully investigated will be reviewed.
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PMID:How should Helicobacter pylori positive dyspeptic patients be managed? 1045 33

Dyspepsia, often defined as chronic or recurrent discomfort centered in the upper abdomen, can be caused by a variety of conditions. Common etiologies include peptic ulcers and gastroesophageal reflux. Serious causes, such as gastric and pancreatic cancers, are rare but must also be considered. Symptoms of possible causes often overlap, which can make initial diagnosis difficult. In many patients, a definite cause is never established. The initial evaluation of patients with dyspepsia includes a thorough history and physical examination, with special attention given to elements that suggest the presence of serious disease. Endoscopy should be performed promptly in patients who have "alarm symptoms" such as melena or anorexia. Optimal management remains controversial in young patients who do not have alarm symptoms. Although management should be individualized, a cost-effective initial approach is to test for Helicobacter pylori and treat the infection if the test is positive. If the H. pylori test is negative, empiric therapy with a gastric acid suppressant or prokinetic agent is recommended. If symptoms persist or recur after six to eight weeks of empiric therapy, endoscopy should be performed.
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PMID:Evaluation and management of dyspepsia. 1089 31

Upper gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are frequently observed in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. We conducted esophageal manometry and 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring in 4 CAPD patients (Group I) who had upper GI symptoms such as nausea and vomiting and compared them with 9 patients (Group II) who did not. The mean age in Group I was 48.5 +/- 13.7 years, and the male-to-female ratio was 1:3. One patient was diabetic. There were no significant differences in clinical and biochemical data between the two groups. Comparing the results of esophageal manometry, supine lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) at 2000 mL of infused dialysate was significantly lower in Group I than in Group II (23.2 +/- 4.4 vs 31.2 7.1 mmHg, P < 0.05), but supine LESPs at empty state and sitting LESPs were not different. Group I had a significantly higher total number of reflux episodes (89.0 +/- 16.5 vs 26.5 +/- 19.4, P < 0.05), number of reflux episodes longer than 5 minutes (2.3 +/- 2.6 vs 0.3 +/- 0.5, P < 0.05), total time of pH < 4.0 (75.5 +/- 55.5 vs 11.0 +/- 6.8, P < 0.05), and total reflux score (19.7 +/- 10.2 vs 4.2 +/- 2.3, P < 0.05) in 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. Three of 4 Group I patients met the criteria for abnormal gastroesophageal reflux set by the DeMeester scoring system. CAPD patients with upper GI symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and epigastric discomfort should be evaluated for gastroesophageal reflux disease with esophageal manometry and pH monitoring.
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PMID:Gastroesophageal reflux disease in CAPD patients. 1064 2

During the last decade, minimally invasive surgery has replaced open surgery in the treatment of esophageal achalasia. This new approach, in fact, determines results similar to the open approach, but is associated to a shorter hospital stay, minimal postoperative discomfort, and faster return to regular activity. Between 1991 and 1998, 168 patients underwent a cardiomyotomy by minimally invasive techniques. Good or excellent results were obtained in 85% of patients after thoracoscopic myotomy, and 93% of patients after laparoscopic myotomy and partial fundoplication. The latter procedure was followed by a lower incidence of postoperative gastroesophageal reflux (60% versus 17%). Laparoscopic Heller myotomy and partial fundoplication has emerged as the procedure of choice for esophageal achalasia, and it should be considered today the primary form of treatment for this disease.
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PMID:Cardiomyotomy. 1068 51

We aimed to determine whether healthy volunteers with normal pH monitoring study results experienced heartburn or discomfort during an esophageal acid perfusion test. We performed an esophageal acid perfusion test, followed by ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring, in 15 healthy and asymptomatic volunteers (aged 19 to 34 years). The results of the acid perfusion test were correlated with those of the pH monitoring. Three subjects (20%) reported chest discomfort during acid perfusion. The pH data in all subjects were within our laboratory reference ranges; the median (range) percent total time at pH < 4 being 1.7 (0.2-4.0)% [laboratory reference, median (range), 3.0 (0.2-4.0)%]. We concluded that direct infusion of acid onto the distal esophagus can produce discomfort akin to that of gastroesophageal reflux disease in asymptomatic adult volunteers, even in the absence of excessive esophageal acid exposure.
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PMID:Esophageal mucosal acid sensitivity can coexist with normal pH recording in healthy adult volunteers. 1077 63


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