title: Symptoms and endoscopic findings--can they predict abnormal nocturnal acid gastro-oesophageal reflux?
abstract: Nocturnal gastro-oesophageal reflux is known to be particularly damaging to the oesophageal mucosa, being associated with stricture formation and columnarisation. At present, this can only be detected by prolonged intra-oesophageal pH monitoring. A total of 50 patients with endoscopic oesophagitis were evaluated by ambulatory pH monitoring to detect the presence of nocturnal reflux. Whether certain symptoms in the presence of a hiatal hernia would identify those patients with reflux at night was investigated. Thirty-three patients had nocturnal reflux, two-thirds of whom had a hiatal hernia. Heartburn at night was of limited value (specificity = 65%) in detecting acid reflux whereas regurgitation and cough showed greater specificity (88% and 100% respectively) but lacked sensitivity (45% and 12% respectively). The combination of nocturnal symptoms and a hiatal hernia in patients with endoscopic oesophagitis correctly identified 58% of patients with nocturnal reflux and was highly specific (100%). This study has confirmed that symptoms and endoscopic findings can detect a significant proportion of 'at risk' patients, but the remainder will require pH monitoring to assess their pattern of acid exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Jenkinson
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Norris
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D003371:Cough / Q000150:complications; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006356:Heartburn; D006551:Hernia, Hiatal / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors