title: Disease characteristics in non-erosive reflux disease with and without endoscopically minimal change esophagitis: are they different?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The majority of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) appear to have non-erosive reflux disease (NERD). NERD may include minimal change esophagitis (MCE) and no endoscopic abnormalities (MCE-). We aimed to determine whether intraesophageal acid reflux as well as esophageal motility differed between patients with and without MCE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive patients with classic reflux symptoms were enrolled in the study. Patients without any mucosal injury were considered to be MCE-. Esophageal acid exposure as well as intragastric pH (<4) was determined by dual-channel ambulatory 24-hour pH monitoring.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 100 patients (MCE-, 52 patients; MCE, 48 patients) were studied. The percentage of effective peristalsis was found similar between patients with and without MCE (p = NS). Esophageal acid contact as well as the DeMeester score did not differ between the groups (p = NS). The prevalence of positive symptom index was greater in MCE- patients than in MCE patients (p = 0.001). Intragastric acidity (pH <4) was similar between MCE- and MCE groups (p = NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NERD, regardless of the presence of MCE, might exhibit similar disease characteristics in terms of esophageal acid exposure and motor dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital and Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Yi
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Tso-Tsai
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Chih-Hsun
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Chien-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005773:Gastroscopy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged