Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains an urgent problem in clinical medicine. The search for ways of effective treatment leads to the need to set new accents in the multifactorial pathogenesis of the disease. According to current trends, special attention is paid to the epithelial barrier of the esophagus. The article presents considerations of the structure of the mucosal epithelial layer, the features of transport routes and intercellular interactions of the esophageal epithelium. Special attention is paid to the phenomenon of the Dilated Intercellular Spaces (DIS) and the syndrome of increased epithelial permeability (SІEP) at GERD. An interpretation of these concepts is given, their role in the implementation of inflammatory processes and the formation of clinical manifestations of the disease, such as heartburn and pain, is revealed. The data on the possible mechanisms of the formation of the DIS and SІEP phenomenon, methods of their diagnosis and aspects that are discussed in the scientific world are presented.
The possibilities of cytoprotective therapy using alginate preparations have been shown. Among the alginates, available on the pharmaceutical market of Ukraine, the pharmacological line Gaviscon® (LLC Reckitt Benckiser Ukraine, Great Britain) is presented. The results of experimental studies with the use of the latest technologies, and data from randomized clinical trials confirming the alginates’ clinical efficacy, have been outlined.
The phenomenon of DIS of the esophageal epithelium and SІEP for aggression factors is one of the leading links in GERD pathogenesis, in particular, its non‑erosive form, and to some extent determines the features of the clinical manifestations of the disease. Treatment of GERD with the use of alginates is logically justified, successfully used in clinical practice, and continues to be actively studied. The use of Gaviscon® products is expedient due to their unique mechanism of action to increase the resistance of the esophagus.
Dilated intercellular spaces in gastroesophageal reflux disease patients and the changes of intercellular spaces after omeprazole treatment
