Weakly acidic refluxes have a major role in the pathogenesis of proton pump inhibitor-resistant reflux oesophagitis.

BACKGROUND

In patients with heartburn that persists despite proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, reflux oesophagitis is found rarely, and its pathogenesis has been scarcely studied.

AIM: To assess reflux parameters by impedance-pH monitoring in PPI-resistant reflux oesophagitis.

METHODS

Impedance-pH monitoring was performed on PPI therapy in patients with symptomatic reflux oesophagitis detected despite standard or high-dose PPI therapy of at least 8-week duration.

RESULTS

Twenty patients, ten on once daily and ten on twice daily PPI regimens, were studied. The gastric acid exposure time (per cent time pH <4) ranged from 10% to 81% and was >30% in 70% of cases, but the oesophageal acid exposure time (per cent time pH <4) was abnormal in 20% of patients only. The number of acid, weakly acidic and weakly alkaline refluxes was abnormal in 25%, 100% and 15% of patients, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Weakly acidic refluxes were above the normal range in all cases, whereas acid reflux parameters and weakly alkaline refluxes were normal in the vast majority of cases. Gastric acid secretion, with consequent intra-gastric pepsins activation, persists despite ongoing PPI therapy and activated pepsins may well be present in weakly acidic refluxes. As activated pepsins maintain their proteolytic activity in a weakly acidic environment, they may be responsible for mucosal damage. We conclude that weakly acidic refluxes have a major role in the pathogenesis of PPI-resistant reflux oesophagitis. Therapeutic interventions in patients with PPI-resistant reflux oesophagitis should be tailored on the basis of impedance-pH-monitoring results.