New trials of pharmacological therapy for endoscopy-negative gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

P. J. Kahrilas*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease describes patients with discase due to gastro-oesophageal acid reflux regardless of the presence or absence of oesophagitis. In patients with endoscopy-positive reflux disease, symptoms and complications occur due to reflux in association with clear-cut oesophagitis, that is, mucosal breaks evident in the distal oesophagus with endoscopy. On the other hand, in patients with endoscopy-negative reflux disease, symptoms and complications due to reflux occur in the absence of clear-cut mucosal breaks. Mostbe endoscopically defined and graded. These studies indicate that erosive oesophagitis is a chronic condition, subject to relapse within 6 months following the cessation of healing therapy in as many as 80% of patients. Both the potency of anti-secretory therapy required for healing and the certainty of relapse are proportional to the severity of endoscopically-defined oesophagitis. Few reliable data exist on treatment efficacy in endoscopy-negative disease because of a paucity of data on its natural history and inconsistency in defining outcome measures. Nonetheless, disease morbidity, with its associated impairment in quality of life, is determined by symptoms of reflux disease, irrespective of the presence or absence of oesophagitis, and symptom control is a prime objective of therapy for reflux disease. investigations of reflux disease therapy have focused on endoscopy-positive disease. This is, at least in part, owing to the relative ease and reproducibility of disease staging; both disease severity and resolution can be endoscopically defined and graded. These studies indicate that erosive oesophagitis is a chronic condition, subject to relapse within 6 months following the cessation of healing therapy in as many as 80% of patients. Both the potency of anti-secretory therapy required for healing and the certainty of relapse are proportional to the severity of endoscopically-defined oesophagitis. Few reliable data exist on treatment efficacy in endoscopy-negative disease because of a paucity of data on its natural history and inconsistency in defining outcome measures. Nonetheless, disease morbidity, with its associated impairment in quality of life, is determined by symptoms of reflux disease, irrespective of the presence or absence of oesophagitis, and symptom control is a prime objective of therapy for reflux disease.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)69-71
Number of pages3
JournalAlimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Supplement
Volume11
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 1997

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutics
  • Pharmacology (medical)

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