Digital infrared thermographic imaging in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease.
We performed a thermographic study to observe any possible interaction between the esophageal acid perfusion and the temperature changes of skin surface in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Twenty-seven patients with GERD were categorized as group I(globus symptoms with posterior laryngitis) and group II (heartburn and/or regurgitation symptoms). Patients and 6 healthy volunteers underwent Bernstein test (BT) and digital infrared thermographic imaging (DITI) simultaneously. The positive rate for BT in group I and group II was 22.2% and 55.6%, respectively, and the DITI positive rate was 55.6% for group I and 50.0% for group II. None of healthy control were positive in BT or DITI. All subjects with DITI positive were hypothermic. The overall accordance rate between DITI and BT was 69.7%. All group I patients showed a diffuse type, while in group 11, 4 patients showed diffuse type and 5 patients showed localized type (p<0.05). In patients with DITI (+)/BT (-), 83.3% showed diffuse type, whereas equal numbers of diffuse and localized type were noted in patients with DITI (+)/BT (+). In conclusion, add contact with a sensitive mucosa leads to an activation of the sympathetic nervous system in some patients with GERD, inducing skin surface hypothermia.
Park
H J
HJ
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. leesi96@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
Nah
J S
JS
Zhang
H Y
HY
Cho
Y E
YE
Lee
S I
SI
Park
I S
IS
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006851:Hydrochloric Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010477:Perfusion; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods
D006851:Hydrochloric Acid