title: Correlation between oesophageal acid exposure and dyspeptic symptoms in patients with nonerosive reflux disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oesophageal acidification induces dyspeptic symptoms in healthy individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between oesophageal acid exposure and dyspeptic symptoms in patients with nonerosive reflux disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 68 patients with dominant symptoms of heartburn, negative upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and concomitant dyspeptic symptoms participated in the study. The severity of dyspepsia and reflux-related symptoms was evaluated, and 24-h gastro-oesophageal pH-monitoring study was performed in all patients at baseline and after 4 weeks of therapy with esomeprazole 40 mg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oesophageal basal acid exposure was pathological in 43 patients and normal in 25 patients, with a similar prevalence and severity of individual dyspeptic symptoms in the two groups. A significant correlation between reflux and dyspepsia scores was observed in the subgroup of patients with normal, but not in those with abnormal pHmetry (r=0.4, P=0.04 and r=0.2 P=0.07, respectively). After esomeprazole, a reduction in severity of dyspepsia (>or=50% with respect to baseline) was observed, independent of improvement of reflux-associated symptoms. Improvement in dyspepsia was, however, similar in patients with normal and abnormal basal acid exposure (14/25 vs. 33/43, respectively, P=NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dyspeptic symptoms coexist in a subset of nonerosive reflux disease patients, but prevalence and severity of the symptoms seems to be independent of oesophageal acid exposure.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sarnelli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Giorgi
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Efficie
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aprea
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Masone
authors.forename: Maria Flavia
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Savarese
authors.forename: Ida
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cuomo
mesh_terms: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D064098:Esomeprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050782:Esophageal pH Monitoring / Q000295:instrumentation; D005260:Female; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D064098:Esomeprazole