Impact of esophageal bile exposure on the genesis of reflux esophagitis in the absence of gastric acid after total gastrectomy.
OBJECTIVE
The role of duodenal contents refluxing into the esophagus in producing reflux esophagitis (RE) remains unclear. We aimed to assess the impact of esophageal bile exposure on the genesis of RE in reference to esophageal pH changes in the absence of gastric acid after total gastrectomy.


METHODS
Thirty patients having undergone total gastrectomy were studied with concurrent 24-h esophageal pH and bilimetric monitoring, and were divided into two groups based on endoscopic esophageal mucosal findings: without RE, group 1 (n = 24) and with RE, group 2 (n = 6). Esophageal bile exposure was defined as bilirubin absorbance >0.14 detected in the esophagus.


RESULTS
1) The percentage total time of esophageal bilirubin absorbance >0.14 was not correlated with that of esophageal pH >7.0, >7.4, and >8.0. 2) All parameters for esophageal bilirubin absorbance >0.14 in group 2 were significantly higher than those in group 1, whereas none of the parameters for esophageal pH >7.0, >7.4, and >8.0 showed a significant difference between the two groups. 3) The percentage total time of esophageal bilirubin absorbance >0.14 was over 50% in all subjects with RE, and six of seven subjects with that over 50% had RE.


CONCLUSIONS
Esophageal bile exposure plays an important role in the genesis of RE in the absence of gastric acid, which is assessed better with the measurement of esophageal bilirubin absorbance than that of esophageal pH.
Department of Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan.
Takeyoshi
T
Yumiba
Hisayoshi
H
Kawahara
Kazuhiro
K
Nishikawa
Yoshifumi
Y
Inoue
Toshinori
T
Ito
Hikaru
H
Matsuda
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001646:Bile / Q000378:metabolism*; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000032:analysis; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005744:Gastric Acid; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D001663:Bilirubin