Börje Wernersson

Development of the GerdQ, a tool for the diagnosis and management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in primary care

Background  Accurate diagnosis and effective management of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can be challenging for clinicians and other health care professionals.

Epidemiology of Peptic Ulcer Disease: Endoscopic Results of the Systematic Investigation of Gastrointestinal Disease in China

OBJECTIVES:Complications of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) are common in China. Population-based estimates of the prevalence of PUD are needed to quantify and characterize the population at risk of these complications.METHODS:As part of a large epidemiological study, 3,600 randomly selected residents of Shanghai (aged 18–80 years) were asked to undergo endoscopy and to provide blood samples for Helicobacter pylori serology. All participants also completed a general information questionnaire and Chinese versions of the reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ) and Rome II questionnaire. Associations between PUD and other factors were analyzed using a multiple logistic regression model.RESULTS:In total, 3,153 individuals (87.6%) completed the survey. All underwent blood tests, and 1,030 patients (32.7%) agreed to undergo endoscopy. Results from 1,022 patients were suitable for analysis. In all, 176 participants (17.2%) had PUD (62 with gastric ulcer; 136 with duodenal ulcer). The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 73.3% in the total population and 92.6% among those with PUD. H. pylori infection was associated with the presence of PUD (odds ratio (OR), 6.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.85–16.10). The majority (72.2%) of individuals with PUD had none of the upper gastrointestinal symptoms assessed by the RDQ. PUD was not significantly associated with symptom-defined gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (OR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.32–2.03), reflux esophagitis (OR, 1.46; 95% CI, 0.76–2.79) or dyspepsia (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 0.94–3.04).CONCLUSIONS:The prevalence of endoscopically confirmed PUD in this Shanghai population (17.2%) is substantially higher than in Western populations (4.1%). The majority of individuals with PUD were asymptomatic.

Validation of the GerdQ questionnaire for the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

The diagnosis of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains a challenge as both invasive methods and symptom‐based strategies have limitations. The symptom‐based management of GERD in primary care may be further optimised with the use of a questionnaire.

Symptom overlap between postprandial distress and epigastric pain syndromes of the Rome III dyspepsia classification.

OBJECTIVES:The Rome III criteria for functional dyspepsia recognize two distinct subgroups: postprandial distress syndrome (PDS) and epigastric pain syndrome (EPS). The aim of this exploratory analysis was to evaluate the Rome III criteria and the validity of the PDS/EPS subgrouping in primary care patients with upper gastrointestinal symptoms.METHODS:Primary care patients with frequent upper gastrointestinal symptoms included in the Diamond study (NCT00291746) underwent esophageal endoscopy and 24-h pH-metry. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was defined as the presence of at least one of the following: reflux esophagitis, pathological esophageal acid exposure, positive symptom association probability (SAP ≥95%) for association of symptoms with acid reflux. Functional dyspepsia was defined by the absence of GERD and peptic ulcer disease on investigation. PDS and/or EPS were diagnosed according to Rome III criteria.RESULTS:In total, 138 patients (41%) had upper gastrointestinal symptoms with normal endoscopy, pH-metry, and SAP results, consistent with the presence of functional dyspepsia. Of these patients, 130 (94%) met criteria for PDS and/or EPS: 13 (10%) had PDS alone, 31 (24%) had EPS alone, and 86 (66%) met criteria for both PDS and EPS.CONCLUSIONS:PDS and EPS overlap in the majority of patients with functional dyspepsia. The value of dividing functional dyspepsia into the subgroups of PDS and EPS is thus questionable. A new approach to classifying functional dyspepsia is needed.

Epidemiology of symptom-defined gastroesophageal reflux disease and reflux esophagitis: the systematic investigation of gastrointestinal diseases in China (SILC).

Abstract Objective. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is thought to be less prevalent in China than in Western countries. However, essential population-based endoscopy data are lacking for this country. Material and methods. As part of a wider study, 3600 individuals selected randomly from the Shanghai region were asked to undergo endoscopy. Participants completed a general information questionnaire and a Chinese version of the Reflux Disease Questionnaire. When sufficient numbers were available, associations were assessed using multiple logistic regression or the Wilcoxon rank-sum test. Results. Of 3153 (87.6%) individuals who completed the survey, 1030 (32.7%) agreed to endoscopy and 1029 endoscopies were suitable for analysis. Symptom-defined GERD was more prevalent in the endoscopy group (4.7%) than in the non-endoscopy group (1.7%). Prevalence estimates were 6.4% for reflux esophagitis, 1.8% for endoscopically suspected esophageal metaplasia and 0.7% for hiatus hernia. Reflux esophagitis was more prevalent in patients with symptom-defined GERD than in those without (12.5% [6/48] vs. 6.1% [60/981]), and was significantly associated with reflux symptoms of any frequency or severity (OR = 2.10, 95% CI 1.13–3.89) and with negative Helicobacter pylori infection (OR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.25–0.80). Only 28.8% of participants with reflux esophagitis had heartburn and/or regurgitation symptoms. Epigastric burning was significantly more severe and frequent in participants with reflux esophagitis than in those without (p = 0.05). Conclusions. Reflux esophagitis is less prevalent in China than reported in Western countries. Further work is needed to establish why reflux esophagitis appears less symptomatic in China than in Western countries.

Dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome in China: a population‐based endoscopy study of prevalence and impact

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 562–572

Partial symptom‐response to proton pump inhibitors in patients with non‐erosive reflux disease or reflux oesophagitis – a post hoc analysis of 5796 patients

Although most patients with gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) benefit from proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, some experience only partial symptom relief.

Concomitant Symptoms Itemized in the Reflux Disease Questionnaire Are Associated With Attenuated Heartburn Response to Acid Suppression

OBJECTIVES:The Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) contains six symptom items for diagnosing and gauging gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) severity. However, clinical trials have generally focused only on the “substernal burning” item and limited data exist on the effect of concomitant items on the treatment response of “substernal burning”.METHODS:Data from two large randomized trials of AZD0865 25–75 mg/day vs. esomeprazole 20 or 40 mg/day in patients with GERD defined by moderate to severe (≥4 days per week) “substernal burning” (non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), N=1,460; reflux esophagitis (RE), N=1,514) were re-analyzed. As no differences were found between drugs or doses in treatment response of “substernal burning”, pooled data were used to determine the impact of additional RDQ items on the response of “substernal burning” to acid suppression.RESULTS:At baseline, patients reported an average of four RDQ items. “Substernal burning” was the most responsive to therapy in the 3.3% of individuals with this as their only baseline RDQ symptom. The report of any other RDQ item was associated with a reduction in the responsiveness of “substernal burning” to acid suppression (e.g., RE patients with high severity “dyspepsia–pain” had an odds ratio of 0.20 for an improvement in “substernal burning” to treatment).CONCLUSIONS:Other concomitant RDQ items, particularly “substernal pain” or “dyspepsia–pain”, were associated with a reduced treatment effect of acid suppression on “substernal burning”. These findings support the use of a more comprehensive assessment of disease state and treatment response in GERD trials and clinical practice.

Helicobacter pylori infection and gastritis: The Systematic Investigation of gastrointestinaL diseases in China (SILC)

Background and Aim:  Helicobacter pylori infection remains common in East Asia, though its prevalence is decreasing in Western countries. H. pylori‐related atrophic gastritis (AG) may reduce the likelihood of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We investigated the prevalence of H. pylori infection and AG and their association with endoscopic findings and symptom‐defined GERD in Shanghai.

Epithelial Thickness is a Marker of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

BACKGROUND & AIMS Histologic criteria have been refined for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). We aimed to evaluate these criteria for the assessment of GERD and to measure interassessor agreement. METHODS We performed a post hoc analysis of data from the Diamond study (NCT 00291746), conducted in Europe and Canada on adults with frequent upper gastrointestinal symptoms who had not taken a proton pump inhibitor in the previous 2 months. GERD was diagnosed based on the presence of 1 or more of the following: reflux esophagitis, pathologic esophageal acid exposure, and/or positive symptom-acid association probability. Nonerosive reflux disease was defined as the presence of pathologic esophageal acid exposure and/or a positive symptom-acid association probability, but no reflux esophagitis. Biopsies collected from 336 patients from 0.5 cm and 2.0 cm above the Z line were evaluable; they were analyzed independently at pathology centers in Germany and Italy (biopsies from 258 and 195 patients, respectively). The primary outcomes were the accuracy of histologic criteria for the diagnosis of GERD, defined by endoscopy and pH monitoring, and interassessor agreement on histologic criteria. RESULTS At the assessment site for basal cell layer thickness, total epithelial thickness was the best-performing criterion for diagnosis of investigation-defined GERD; it also identified nonerosive reflux disease, reflux esophagitis, and pathologic esophageal acid exposure at 0.5 cm and 2.0 cm above the Z line. Basal cell layer thickness and presence of dilated intercellular spaces did not identify patients with GERD. Among the criteria tested, the best agreement between assessments carried out at the 2 pathology centers was for total epithelial thickness at 0.5 cm and 2.0 cm above the Z line. CONCLUSIONS Based on an analysis of 336 patients with frequent upper gastrointestinal symptoms, total epithelial thickness is a robust histologic marker for GERD.