[Therapeutic approaches to non-erosive GERD--comparison between the Western countries and Japan].
Some patients with heartburn may not show endoscopic evidence of esophagitis. They were called as "endoscopy-negative GERD", "non-erosive reflux disease (NERD)" or "symptomatic-GERD". Symptom of heartburn might be more severe in Europe and United States when compared to those in Japan. NERD patients seem to be more resistant to pharmaco-therapy and surgical procedures, and it seems to be more prominent in patients in the Western countries than those in Japan. Differences between the Western countries and Japan might be based on the difference of the diet habit, but the contamination of functional gastrointestinal disorders might be also involved.
Department of Comprehensive Medicine, Tohoku University Hospital.
Michio
M
Hongo
Masashi
M
Adachi
D005060:Europe; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D014481:United States