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Reflux esophagitis and gastroesophageal reflux disease: a cross-sectional study of gastroesophageal reflux disease patients by age group

R. Flora, B. Zilberstein

Revista do Hospital das Clínicas, 1999

5 citations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the intensity of acid reflux and severity of esophageal tissue damage in a cross-sectional study of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Seventy-eight patients with were selected in accordance with the strict 24-hour ambulatory esophageal pHmetry (24h-pHM) criteria and distributed into three age groups: Group A: 14-24 years of age. Group B: 25-54; and Group C: 55-64. The 24h-pHM was carried out in accordance with DeMeester standardization, and the Savary-Miller classification for the diagnosis of reflux esophagitis was used. The groups were similar in 24h-pHM parameters (p > 0.05), having above normal values. For the study group as a whole, there was no correlation between age group and intensity of acid reflux, and there was no correlation between intensity of acid reflux and severity of esophageal tissue damage. However, when the same patients were sub-grouped in accordance with the depth of their epithelial injury and then distributed into age groups, there was a significant difference in esophagitis without epithelial discontinuity. Younger patients had less epithelial damage than older patients. Additionally, although there was a significant progression from the least severe to the moderate stages of epithelial damage among the age groups, there was no apparent difference among the age groups in the distribution between the moderate stages and most severe stages. The findings support the…

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Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause.

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