title: Evaluation of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.
abstract: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may present with heartburn, regurgitation, dysphagia, chronic cough, laryngitis, or even asthma. The clinical presentation of GERD is therefore varied and poses certain challenges to the physician, especially given the limitations of the diagnostic testing.
  
  
  
  The evaluation of patients with suspected GERD might be challenging. It is based on the evaluation of clinical features, objective evidence of reflux on diagnostic testing, correlation of symptoms with episodes of reflux, evaluation of anatomical abnormalities, and excluding other causes that might account for the presence of the patient's symptoms.
  
  
  
  The diagnostic evaluation should include multiple tests, in addition to a thorough clinical examination.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Boston VA Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, 1400 VFW Parkway, West Roxbury, Boston, MA, 02132, USA. piero.fisichella@va.gov.
authors.forename: P Marco
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Fisichella
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Andolfi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Elizabeth Medical Center, Brighton, MA, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Orthopoulos
mesh_terms: D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008365:Manometry