Prevalencia de mucosa gástrica heterotópica cervical y su relación con síntomas de reflujo gastroesofágico. Estudio observacional

Introduction. The heterotopic gastric mucosal patch or inlet patch is the presence of gastric columnar mucosa outside the stomach, most frequently located in the proximal esophagus. Its manifestations vary from esophageal and extraesophageal reflux symptoms to major complications, most of them being asymptomatic. Aim. To determine the prevalence of cervical heterotopic gastric mucosa in our environment and its association with esophageal and extraesophageal reflux symptoms. Material and methods. Prospective cross-sectional and observational study; consecutive patients who came to our institution between December 2018 and October 2019 for diagnostic upper gastrointestinal videoendoscopy were included, following a questionnaire on clinical manifestations. Results. A total of 1,408 patients were included. In 89 (6.3%), a cervical heterotopic gastric mucosal patch was described. The mean age of the patients without this condition was 54.6 and 55.5 in patients with it. The esophageal symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux (heartburn, regurgitation, and chest pain) in patients with cervical heterotopic gastric mucosa was observed in 40 (44.9% / p = 0.473), 12 (13.5% / p = 0.783) and 4 (4.5% / p = 0.199) patients respectively. The presence of extraesophageal symptoms (globus, chronic cough, dysphonia, and throat clearing) in patients with cervical heterotopic gastric mucosa was: 9 (10.1% / p = 0.011); 7 (7.9% / p = 0.155); 4 (4.5% / p = 0.458) and 9 (10.1% / p = 0.036) respectively. Conclusions. A statistically significant association was found between the presence of cervical heterotopic gastric mucosal patch and symptoms of globus (p = 0.011) and throat clearing (p = 0.036). It could be interpreted that this group of patients would benefit from the research and treatment of this condition with the intention of improving their symptoms.

Protection and regeneration of esophageal, pharyngeal, and laryngeal mucosa as a major element in therapy of patients with esophageal and extraesophageal reflux symptoms

Treatment of esophageal and extraesophageal reflux syndromes is mainly focused on inhibiting the secretion of hydrochloric acid. In spite of the high efficacy of proton pump inhibitors, approx. 30–60% of GERD patients experience daily symptoms. Beside acid reflux, other factors such as abnormal esophageal peristalsis, visceral hypersensitivity, ineffective esophageal clearance mechanisms, and impaired mucosal barrier also play an important role in generating GERD symptoms. An additional therapeutic proposition is a procedure aimed at improving the defense mechanisms of esophageal mucosa rather than inhibiting the damage-inducing factors. The preparation consisting of hyaluronic acid (HA), chondroitin sulfate (SC) and poloxamer 407 protects against harmful factors (hydrochloric acid, pepsin) and accelerates mucosal healing and regeneration, constituting a substantial element of monotherapy or add-on therapy in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Pepsin Triggers Neutrophil Migration Across Acid Damaged Lung Epithelium

Pepsin represents a potential biomarker for extraesophageal reflux disease when detected in airways, however a direct role for pepsin in lung dysfunction has not been clearly established. Children experiencing gastroesophageal and extraesophageal reflux are often prescribed proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) to reduce gastric acid associated damage to esophageal and airway mucosa. The potential of pepsin and gastric fluid, from children that were either on or off PPI therapy, to cause inflammation and damage using a human in vitro co-culture model of the airway mucosa was evaluated herein. Exposure of the airway model to acidic solutions caused cellular damage and loss of viability, however, acid alone did not disrupt barrier integrity or instigate neutrophil trans-epithelial migration without pepsin. Gastric fluid from patients on PPI therapy exhibited only a slightly higher pH yet had significantly higher concentrations of pepsin and elicited more barrier disruption and neutrophil trans-epithelial migration compared to gastric fluid from patients off PPIs. Inflammatory and damaging responses observed with gastric fluid from patients on PPIs were largely driven by pepsin. These results indicate the potential for PPI usage to raise concentrations of pepsin in gastric fluid, which may enhance the pathological impact of micro-aspirations in children with extraesophageal reflux.

Esophageal Impedance-pH Monitoring and Pharyngeal pH Monitoring in the Diagnosis of Extraesophageal Reflux in Children

Various clinical symptoms are attributed to extraesophageal reflux disease (EERD). Multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring (MII-pH) is considered to correlate symptoms with acid and nonacid gastroesophageal reflux (GER) events. Pharyngeal pH monitoring (Dx-pH) is considered to correlate the decrease in the pH level in the oropharynx with reported symptoms and to diagnose supraesophageal reflux. We aimed to assess the correlation between acid reflux episodes recorded by Dx-pH and GER detected via MII-pH in children with suspected EERD. The study enrolled 23 consecutive children (15 boys and 8 girls; median age 8.25 [range 3-16.5] years) with suspected EERD. MII-pH and Dx-pH were conducted concurrently in all patients. A total of 1228 reflux episodes were recorded by MII-pH. With the antimonic sensor placed inside the impedance probe, 1272 pH-only reflux episodes were recorded. Of these, 977 (76.81%) were associated with a retrograde bolus transit. Regarding GER, 630 full-column episodes extended to the most proximal pair of impedance sensors; 500 (83.33%) demonstrated an acidic character. The following acid reflux numbers were determined by the Dx-pH system: forpH<4,n=126;pH<4.5,n=136;pH<5,n=167; andpH<5.5,n=304, and for a decrease inpH>10%relative to the baseline,n=324. There was no significant correlation between the number of pharyngeal reflux episodes detected by Dx-pH and that of GERs identified by MII-pH. The proportion of oropharyngeal pH events that were temporally related to a GER episode increased with the extended pH criteria. The highest proportion was observed for a pH decrease of ≥10% from the baseline and did not exceed 5.2%. The application of the extended pH criteria in the Dx-pH system resulted in an increase in the number of diagnosed laryngopharyngeal refluxes; most were not temporally associated with GER episodes confirmed by MII-pH. Thus, the efficacy of the exclusive application of Dx-pH for supraesophageal gastric reflux diagnosis is uncertain.