Pepsin: biomarker, mediator, and therapeutic target for reflux and aspiration. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2018 Dec;1434(1):282-289
Date
05/19/2018Pubmed ID
29774546DOI
10.1111/nyas.13729Scopus ID
2-s2.0-85047661971 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 38 CitationsAbstract
Extra-esophageal reflux is suspected to cause a wide range of clinical symptoms in the upper airways. Diagnosis and treatment has focused on acid, but realization of the role of nonacid reflux has resulted in research investigating the use of pepsin as a biomarker for gastric reflux and aspiration. Pepsin analysis can complement the use of questionnaires and office-based diagnosis and lessen the dependency on invasive and expensive diagnostic tests. Furthermore, pepsin as a first-line diagnostic biomarker has been shown to improve the accuracy of reflux diagnosis. In addition to its use as a diagnostic biomarker, pepsin has been shown to cause inflammation independent of the pH of the refluxate and thus despite acid suppression therapy. Research is ongoing to develop new therapies for airway reflux that specifically target pepsin.
Author List
Johnston N, Dettmar PW, Ondrey FG, Nanchal R, Lee SH, Bock JMAuthors
Jonathan Bock MD Professor in the Otolaryngology department at Medical College of WisconsinNikki Johnston PhD Professor in the Otolaryngology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Rahul Sudhir Nanchal MD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
BiomarkersGastroesophageal Reflux
Humans
Pepsin A
Pneumonia, Aspiration
