Assessment of clinical severity and investigation of uncomplicated gastroesophageal reflux disease and noncardiac angina-like chest pain.

Heartburn, suggesting gastroesophageal reflux, is common. Epidemiological studies have shown that 36% to 44% of adults experience heartburn at least once a month, 14% weekly and 7% once a day. Heartburn and regurgitations are the typical symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). When present as predominant symptoms, they are quite specific but not very sensitive. Clinical severity of GERD does not predict the severity of the underlying condition. The diagnostic approach to patients with GERD depends on the clinical presentation and the question to be answered -Is abnormal reflux present? Is there mucosal injury? Are symptoms due to reflux? Several techniques such as barium swallow, endoscopy, ambulatory pH monitoring, esophageal manometry and 24 h pH/motility can be used to answer those questions. Barium swallow is not much help in diagnosing reflux esophagitis because reflux can occur in more than 25% of asymptomatic patients. It is most useful in demonstrating structural abnormalities such as strictures and hiatal hernia. The importance of hiatal hernia in the pathogenesis of GERD has been controversial. Recent studies suggest that GERD patients with hiatal hernia present with greater extent of reflux and more severe esophagitis. Endoscopy is the best diagnostic study for mucosal evaluation. Ambulatory 24 h pH monitoring is indicated for patients with atypical symptoms of reflux such as chest pain or pulmonary symptoms, or those who do no respond to therapy. The evaluation of duodenogastroesophageal reflux or alkaline reflux can be measured, but the clinical importance of this test remains controversial. Esophageal manometry allows measurement of the lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LES) and the evaluation of esophageal peristalsis. There is a lack of correlation between LES and reflux esophagitis. The role of peristaltic dysfunction in GERD is unclear, but the high percentage of abnormal contractions suggests a more severe form of GERD. Esophageal motility study can document the presence of effective esophageal peristalsis in patients before antireflux surgery. Twenty-four hour pH/motility is not yet available widely. It is useful in patients who have several daily attacks. There is a correlation with acid reflux in approximately 40% of events. Investigation of noncardiac angina-like chest pain is best achieved by standard esophageal manometry combined with provocative testing. Most laboratories performing these studies use acid perfusion and pharmacostimulation with either bethanechol or edrophonium to reproduce the patient's chest pain during esophageal manometry. Esophageal balloon distension is considered to give the highest yield as a provocative test in patients with angina-like chest pain. It is believed that abnormal esophageal nociception is not simply related to underlying motor dysfunction but also to the presence of a visceral sensory abnormality.