Scintigraphic evaluation of duodenogastric reflux. Problems, pitfalls, and technical review

Systematic review: duodenogastroesophageal (biliary) reflux prevalence, symptoms, oesophageal lesions and treatment

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER) and its effect on symptoms and oesophageal lesions in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is unclear.

AIMS

To conduct a systematic review to determine the prevalence of DGER among patients with GERD, the effect of DGER on symptoms and oesophageal lesions, and the treatment of DGER.

METHODS

We searched Pubmed and MEDLINE for full text, English language articles until October 2020 that evaluated DGER prevalence among patients with GERD, the effect of DGER on symptoms and oesophageal lesions, and the treatment of DGER.

RESULTS

We identified 3891 reports and included 35 which analysed DGER prevalence in GERD, 15 which evaluated its effect in non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), 17 on erosive oesophagitis, 23 in Barrett's, and 13 which evaluated the treatment of DGER. The prevalence of DGER, when evaluated by Bilitec, among all GERD patients ranged from 10% to 97%, in NERD 10%-63%, in erosive oesophagitis 22%-80% and in Barrett's 50%-100%. There were no differences in the presence or degree of DGER among patients who were asymptomatic or symptomatic on proton pump inhibitors (PPI). The most commonly evaluated treatments for DGER were PPIs and DGER reduced post-PPI therapy in all studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of DGER increased with more advanced oesophageal lesions and did not explain persisting symptoms among patients taking PPI therapy. PPIs appear to be effective in the treatment of DGER. DGER remains an important consideration in patients with GERD and future therapies deserve more study.

Detecting Bile Reflux-the Enigma of Bariatric Surgery

Duodeno-gastro-esophageal reflux, or bile reflux, is a condition for which there is no diagnostic gold standard, and it remains controversial in terms of carcinoma risk. This is pertinent in the context of an increasingly overweight population who are undergoing weight-loss operations that theoretically further increase the risk of bile reflux. This article reviews investigations for bile reflux based on efficacy, patient tolerability, cost, and infrastructure requirements. At this time, whilst no gold standard exists, hepatobiliary scintigraphy is the least invasive investigation with good-patient tolerability, sensitivity, and reproducibility to be considered first-line for diagnosis of bile reflux. This review will guide clinicians investigating bile reflux.

Duodenogastro-esophageal reflux in children with refractory gastro-esophageal reflux disease

OBJECTIVE

To determine the role of duodenogastro-esophageal reflux (DGER) in the pathogenesis of refractory gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) in children.

STUDY DESIGN

Twenty-two patients (12 boys, mean age, 13.2 years) with GERD symptoms that persisted on omeprazole (1 mg/kg) underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and barium x-ray, 24-hour pH and DGER (Bilitec) monitoring, and a 13C octanoic acid gastric emptying breath test.

RESULTS

Patients presented mainly with epigastric pain, regurgitation, and nausea. Endoscopy revealed persistent esophagitis in 15 patients (68%). Pathologic acid and DGER exposure were present in 12 (55%) and 15 (68%) children, respectively, with combined pathologic reflux in 10 (45%). Acid exposure did not differ according to the presence of esophagitis, but patients with grade II esophagitis had significantly higher DGER exposure than those without esophagitis (9.1 +/- 5.3% vs 26.7 +/- 10.9% of the time, P < .05). Gastric emptying rate was not associated to acid or DGER exposure or persisting esophagitis. Symptoms improved after adding a prokinetic drug to the proton pump inhibitor therapy or referral for surgery (n = 5).

CONCLUSIONS

DGER may play a role in the pathophysiology of proton pump inhibitor-refractory GERD and esophagitis in children.

Le reflux biliaire duodéno-gastrique et gastro-œsophagien

This study reviews current data regarding duodenogastric and gastroesophageal bile reflux-pathophysiology, clinical presentation, methods of diagnosis (namely, 24-hour intraluminal bile monitoring) and therapeutic management. Duodenogastric reflux (DGR) consists of retrograde passage of alkaline duodenal contents into the stomach; it may occur due to antroduodenal motility disorder (primary DGR) or may arise following surgical alteration of gastoduodenal anatomy or because of biliary pathology (secondary DGR). Pathologic DGR may generate symptoms of epigastric pain, nausea, and bilious vomiting. In patients with concomitant gastroesophageal reflux, the backwash of duodenal content into the lower esophagus can cause mixed (alkaline and acid) reflux esophagitis, and lead, in turn, to esophageal mucosal damage such as Barrett's metaplasia and adenocarcinoma. The treatment of DGR is difficult, non-specific, and relatively ineffective in controlling symptoms. Proton pump inhibitors decrease the upstream effects of DGR on the esophagus by decreasing the volume of secretions; promotility agents diminish gastric exposure to duodenal secretions by improving gastric emptying. In patients with severe reflux resistant to medical therapy, a duodenal diversion operation such as the duodenal switch procedure may be indicated.

Review article: the role of bile and pepsin in the pathophysiology and treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is a multifaceted and multifactorial disorder which results from the reflux of gastric contents into the oesophagus. Animal studies suggest that synergism between acid and pepsin and conjugated bile acids have the greatest damaging potential for oesophageal mucosa, although unconjugated bile acids may be caustic at more neutral pH. Human studies are compatible with a synergistic action between acid and duodenogastric reflux in inducing lesions. During prolonged monitoring studies, typical gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms are more related to acid reflux events than to non-acid reflux events. However, symptoms that persist during acid suppressive therapy are often related to non-acid reflux events. The therapeutic options for the non-acid component of the refluxate, including acid suppression, prokinetics, baclofen, surgery and mucosal protective agents like alginates, are discussed.

Review article: role of pepsin and bile in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is defined as the presence of symptoms or lesions that can be attributed to the reflux of gastric contents into the oesophagus. Aspiration and prolonged monitoring studies in humans have shown that reflux of gastric contents is comprised of both acid and non-acid components, in healthy as well as diseased people. Methods to monitor the non-acid component of the refluxate are described in detail. Experimental models suggest that synergism between acid and pepsin and conjugated bile acids have the greatest damaging potential for oesophageal mucosa, although unconjugated bile acids may be caustic at a more neutral pH. Human studies are compatible with a synergistic action between acid and duodenogastric reflux in inducing lesions. During prolonged monitoring studies, typical gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms are more related to acid reflux events than to non-acid reflux events. However, symptoms that persist during acid-suppressive therapy are often related to non-acid reflux events. The therapeutic options for the non-acid component of the refluxate, including acid suppression, prokinetics, baclofen and surgery, are discussed.

Combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH-metry: a novel technique to improve detection of gastro-oesophageal reflux literature review

Ambulatory pH monitoring is currently the best method for detection of gastro-oesophageal reflux. However, pH electrodes are able to measure only acid reflux, and therefore, non-acid reflux episodes, a potentially important cause of symptoms, are ignored by this technique. Multichannel intraluminal electrical impedance has recently been proposed as a novel method to overcome the above limitation of pH testing. Impedance (expressed in ohms) is a measure of the total opposition to current flow between adjacent electrodes. As refluxed contents are characterised by different conductivity, which is the inverse of impedance, for the first time a pH-independent accurate and practical qualitative analysis of refluxate is possible. For instance, the conductivity of air is almost zero and then impedance increases compared with baseline, whereas the conductivity of liquid is much higher and the impedance curve decreases remarkably. The combination of electrical impedance with traditional pH monitoring has the only aim of differentiating acid from non-acid liquid reflux. Moreover, the impedance catheter contains multiple pairs of ring electrodes along the oesophagus, so that an exact assessment of the proximal extent of refluxed material can be achieved. From a clinical point of view, electrical impedance + pH-metry could be useful for identifying the number and percent times of gas, acid and non-acid reflux episodes, to improve the yield of symptom index, to evaluate the reasons for poor response of reflux symptoms to proton pump inhibitors and to know the proximal extent of reflux events in patients with atypical symptoms. Thus, this technique has the potential to become a useful tool for improving our knowledge of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and optimising the management of these patients.

Dual-Radionuclide Simultaneous Biliary and Gastric Scintigraphy to Depict Surgical Treatment of Bile Reflux

Biliary diversion procedures are performed during gastric surgery to decrease bile reflux. A 1-day dual-radionuclide examination was studied to determine its potential in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Braun enteroenterostomy in reducing bile reflux and its effects on gastric emptying. Orally ingested gallium 67-labeled egg and intravenously administered technetium 99m diisopropyl-imino-diacetic acid were imaged simultaneously. This provided a way to depict both bile reflux and gastric emptying on the same day in patients who underwent gastric surgery. Overall, the Braun enteroenterostomy trades bile reflux, a symptomatic and premalignant disease, for gastroparesis, a less severe and often treatable disease.

Primary duodenogastric reflux in children and adolescents

Primary duodenogastric reflux is a rare disorder in adults which has not yet been documented in children. Six young patients, aged 4.5 to 16.5 years (median 13.5 years) presented with atypical reflux symptoms persisting from 1 to 84 months (median 8 months) and unresponsive to classical antacid therapy. In all six patients, 24 h gastric bilimetry showed excessive bile exposures for absorbances ranging from 0.25 to 0.60. The fraction of time (supine period) above the 0.25 absorbance threshold ranged from 30% to 75% while the 95th percentile value for healthy adults is 31%. In all patients tested, hepato-iminodiacetic acid scintigraphy revealed the occurrence of a massive duodenogastric reflux and four out of five patients had an alkaline shift (fraction of time pH >8 on 24 h lower oesophageal pH monitoring) ranging from 4.2% to 20% (control values 0.0% to 2.9%). Endoscopic findings included abundant bilious gastric leak (6/6) and chronic prepyloric Helicobacter pylorinegative gastritis (2/6). Daily administration of cisapride, sucralfate with or without omeprazole resulted in an improvement of symptoms in five patients within 15 days. This treatment was ineffective in one patient who became symptom-free only after a surgical duodenal switch with fundoplication was performed.

CONCLUSION

primary duodenogastric reflux is a rare foregut disorder of unknown origin occurring in late childhood. If suspected, 24 h intragastric bilimetry appears to be a useful investigation to confirm the diagnosis.

The role of acid and duodenal gastroesophageal reflux in symptomatic GERD

OBJECTIVE

Mixed reflux of acid and duodenal contents frequently occurs in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The aim of this study was to establish the contribution of acid and duodenal gastroesophageal reflux (DGER) to symptoms in patients with presumed GERD.

METHODS

A total of 72 patients (37 women), mean age 45 yr (+/-2 yr), underwent 24-h ambulatory pH and Bilitec monitoring. Patients pressed a marker button when experiencing typical symptoms. For each symptom episode, minimal pH and maximal bilirubin optical density in a 2- or 4-min interval were calculated. For each patient, the symptom index (SI) and symptom-association probability for acid and for bile reflux were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 544 symptom episodes were identified. Using a 2-min interval, 28% were associated with acid reflux, 9% with DGER, and 12% with mixed reflux. No significant difference was found when a 4-min interval was used. A positive SI for acid reflux was present in 21% of the patients and for DGER in 14%. All patients with a positive SI for DGER had also a positive SI for acid reflux. A positive symptom-association probability for acid reflux was present in 22% of the patients, for DGER in 7% of the patients, and for mixed reflux in 10% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Symptom episodes in patients with presumed GERD are more related to acid reflux than to DGER. DGER does not play a major role in producing typical esophageal symptoms.

Standards for non-invasive methods for gastrointestinal motility: scintigraphy. A position statement from the Gruppo Italiano di Studio Motilità Apparato Digerente (GISMAD)

Scintigraphic techniques are well established methods to assess gastrointestinal transit patterns. The main advantages are represented by the possibility to evaluate, in a relatively non-invasive manner, the transit time of specific components of physiological meals as well as of some digestive secretions. These techniques are generally well accepted by the patients and results are largely not operator dependent. Their main limitation is the use of a radioisotope, that prevents repeated applications in all subjects and immediate exclusion of women of childbearing potential. Due to the high costs of these tests and the limited availability of Nuclear Medicine Departments, scintigraphic techniques should be reserved for well-selected patients. A review is made of the technical requirements and indications for scintigraphic tests currently available for clinical purposes (gastric emptying study, oesophageal transit time, evaluation of gastro-oesophageal reflux, intestinal and colonic transit time, evaluation of biliary motility and of duodenogastric reflux).

Bile in the oesophagus: clinical relevance and ambulatory detection

BACKGROUND

Experimental work in animals has implicated a role for bile in the pathogenesis of several oesophageal mucosal diseases such as oesophagitis, Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Recent descriptions of a high incidence of intestinal metaplasia at the gastro-oesophageal junction in patients without a classical 3-cm Barrett's columnar-lined segment, combined with a rising incidence in oesophageal and cardia adenocarcinoma, have stimulated interest in the causes of these conditions.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Animal studies concerned with defining the role of the various gastroduodenal reflux constituents in oesophageal mucosal injury are summarized and evidence for bile in the pathogenesis of Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma is reviewed. The results of various techniques for clinical measurement of oesophageal bile reflux, such as aspiration, scintigraphy and pH monitoring, are evaluated and the significance of recent studies employing ambulatory fibreoptic bilirubin monitoring is discussed.

CONCLUSION

There seems little doubt that bile plays a significant role in oesophageal mucosal disease, in synergy with other constituents of reflux. Although ambulatory bilirubin monitoring is new, some intriguing findings have been reported and it is hoped that this technique will continue to shed light on the role of bile in the oesophagus.

Comparative evaluation of scintigraphy and upper gastrointestinal tract endoscopy for detection of duodenogastric reflux

Duodenogastric reflux, the reflux of duodenal bile into stomach, when suspected clinically requires an objective evaluation for proper management. In this study hepatobiliary scintigraphy in 91 patients of different clinical conditions was evaluated for presence of duodenogastric reflux. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was also performed in 44 of these patients. On scintigraphy duodenogastric reflux was present in 26 (29%) of 91 patients. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed presence of refluxed bile in the stomach in 12 (27%) of 44 patients. In the same groups of patients scintigraphy detected reflux in 18 (41%) of 44 patients. This shows that hepatobiliary scintigraphy is superior to upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in detection of duodenogastric reflux and also has the advantage of being non-invasive and physiological.

Duodenogastric reflux in patients with Barrett's esophagus

The role of duodenogastric reflux in the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease is not clear. Using hepatobiliary scanning techniques, we found evidence of duodenogastric reflux in six of 13 patients with Barrett's esophagus. This compares with only two positive studies in 19 control subjects. This difference is statistically significant (P = 0.038, two-tailed Fisher's exact test). Three of nine patients who had gastroesophageal reflux without Barrett's esophagus had evidence of duodenogastric reflux, a frequency not significantly different from either of the other groups. Gastroesophageal reflux of bile and pancreatic enzymes, in addition to gastric acid may contribute to the greater esophageal damage often seen in Barrett's esophagus. The presence of duodenogastric reflux in these patients may have important pathophysiologic and therapeutic implications.