Gastroesophageal reflux in chronic alcoholics. Endoesophageal pH determinations using Heidelberg telemetring capsule.

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) was studied in 86 chronic ethanol consumers, by determination of endoesophageal pH using a Heidelberg telemetring capsule. All the subjects were subjected to radiologic and endoscopic explorations in some cases completed by esophageal mucosa biopsy. In 49 subjects (56.4%) GER was present in various degrees according to the calculated score; medium and high intensity reflux in 37 cases (44%). GER was symptomatic in 62% of the cases and 30 patients (35.7%) presented esophagitis with columnar epithelium metaplasia in 3 cases. The intensity of reflux and the presence of esophagitis were found to be correlated with the degree of alcoholic "impregnation". Radiologic exploration detected GER in only 22 patients (44.9%).