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.
Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. leesi96@yumc.yonsei.ac.kr
H J
HJ
Park
J S
JS
Nah
H Y
HY
Zhang
Y E
YE
Cho
S I
SI
Lee
I S
IS
Park
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