Should the diagnostic threshold for pH monitoring in gastroesophageal reflux disease differ between the East and the West?

Abstract

<p>Background</p><p>The Montreal definition's reliance on troublesome typical symptoms alone is inadequate for diagnosing 'actionable' Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD). Lyon consensus 2.0 updated conclusive evidence of GERD, incorporating Los Angeles grade B or above esophagitis and Acid Exposure Time (AET) exceeding 6% in ambulatory reflux monitoring. The Seoul Consensus 2020 presents varied opinions on applying the same standards to the Asian population. A meta-analysis determined the Asian upper limit of AET as 3.2%. This study aims to compare Lyon 1.0 and 2.0 consensus compositions and assess the sensitivity and specificity of different AET thresholds in predicting Grade B or above esophagitis.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Patients with refractory GERD symptoms or considering anti-reflux surgery underwent objective GERD workup, including 24-hour catheter-based or 96-hour wireless ambulatory pH monitoring, High-Resolution Manometry, and upper endoscopy. This retrospective cohort study analyzed patient data from 2011-2023, excluding those with prior anti-reflux surgery, bariatric surgery, or myotomy for achalasia. Patients were categorized based on Lyon Consensus 1.0 and 2.0 as 'Non-GERD,' 'Borderline GERD,' 'Borderline GERD with evidence,' and 'Conclusive GERD.' Sensitivity, specificity, and Area-Under-Curve (AUC) were calculated using AET thresholds of 3.2%, 4%, 6%, and 7.2% to predict Grade B or above esophagitis.</p><p>Results</p><p>Between July 2011 and August 2023, 257 patients underwent pH monitoring and were included in the analysis, with 247 (93.8%) being ethnic Chinese. The number of patients categorized as conclusive GERD was significantly higher in Lyon 2.0 (134, 52.1%) compared to Lyon 1.0 (109, 42.4%), p < 0.001. Sensitivity and specificity for predicting Grade B or above esophagitis were as follows: AET 3.2% (83.3%, 48.8%), AET 4% (65.3%, 52.4%), AET 6% (73.8%, 66%), AET 7.2% (69.0, 72.1%). AET 7.2% demonstrated the highest AUC of 70.6% (Figure 1). Among patients classified as conclusive GERD, 67 (50%) underwent antireflux surgery.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Using the Asian threshold of AET 3.2% yields the highest sensitivity for detecting Grade B or above esophagitis. Additionally, the AUC is higher compared to using AET 4.0%. However, it is important to note that AET alone should not be the sole parameter for diagnosing actionable GERD, as even with the lowest AET threshold of 3.2%, 16.7% of patients with Grade B or above esophagitis would be missed.</p>