Faculty Collaboration Database

Regional esophageal distribution and clearance of refluxed gastric acid. Gastroenterology 1991 Aug;101(2):355-9

Date

08/01/1991

Pubmed ID

2065910

DOI

10.1016/0016-5085(91)90011-9

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0025850614 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   39 Citations

Abstract

Regional differences in the esophageal distribution and clearance of refluxed gastric acid was studied in seven asymptomatic volunteers and seven patients with reflux esophagitis. Intraluminal pH was recorded for 3 postprandial hours from the distal, middle, and proximal esophagus on two separate occasions (with subjects in upright and supine positions). With the subjects in a supine position, about half of the acid reflux episodes reached the proximal esophagus in patients as well as in controls. This percentage decreased to 25% in patients and 29% in controls when they were upright. In both groups, the pH drops in the distal esophagus were significantly greater than in the proximal esophagus for both the supine and upright positions. In both patients and controls, a 4-5-fold greater acid exposure occurred in the distal esophagus, than in the proximal esophagus. In both patient and control groups, acid exposure time, as well as the number of reflux episodes in the distal esophagus, were significantly greater than that of the proximal esophagus (P less than 0.05). Spontaneous acid clearance time in the distal esophagus was significantly longer than that of the proximal esophagus in both positions (P less than 0.05) for both subject groups. In conclusion, regional differences exist in the exposure of the esophageal mucosa to refluxed gastric acid. These regional differences are more pronounced when subjects are upright than supine. Regional differences also exist in esophageal acid clearance, with clearance taking longer in the distal esophagus than in the proximal esophagus. The net effect of these phenomena is that acid exposure time in the distal esophagus is greater than that in the remainder of the esophagus.

Author List

Shaker R, Dodds WJ, Helm JF, Kern MK, Hogan WJ

Authors

Mark K. Kern Research Scientist II in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Reza Shaker MD Assoc Provost, Sr Assoc Dean, Ctr Dir, Chief, Prof in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Aged
Eating
Esophagitis, Peptic
Esophagus
Gastric Acid
Humans
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Middle Aged
Posture