Effect of intragastric volume and osmolality on mechanisms of gastroesophageal reflux in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease

OBJECTlVE: Both transient lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxations (TLE SRs) and periods of low/absent LES pressure (LESP) are the main mechanisms of gastroesophageal reflux. These events are believed to be triggered by st imuli from different areas of the upper GI tract. We aimed at investigating the relationship between LESP profile and gastric emptying and distension after meals of different composition in 30 children with gastroesophageal r eflux disease (median age 7.0 yr, range 12 months-12 yr). METHODS: Recordings of LESP and intraesophageal pH for 1 h fasting and for 2 postprandial h were performed with a perfused sleeve catheter and flexibl e electrode, respectively; gastric emptying and distension of antral area w ere simultaneously recorded with real-time ultrasonography. Ten patients ha d a standard meal (group A), 10 had a high-volume meal (group B), and 10 ha d a high-volume and osmolality meal (group C). RESULTS: Postprandial esophageal acid exposure was significantly higher in patients of groups B and C than in patients of group A (p < 0.01); it was a lso more prolonged in patients of group C than in subjects of group B (p < 0.05). A higher postfeeding rate of reflux episodes caused by TLESRs was de tected in patients of groups B and C as compared with patients of group A ( p < 0.01). This increase did not statistically differ in patients of groups B and C. Patients of group C exhibited a higher postprandial rate of reflu x episodes associated with low/absent tone of the LES as well as a more pro longed gastric emptying time and a higher postfeeding gastric distension as compared with patients of groups A and B (p < 0.01). Finally, a significan t correlation was only found between the postprandial rate of reflux events resulting from low/absent LESP and the degree of antral distension in pati ents of group C (p <less than> 0.01). CONCLUSION: Gastroesophageal reflux is worsened by increasing the volume an d osmolality of meals through significant changes of LESP. Meals of high vo lume and meals with hi,oh volume and osmolality cause a comparable increase of reflux episodes as a result of TLESRs. However, meals with high volume and osmolality cause the higher degrees of esophageal acid exposure than me als with high volume resulting from a higher rate of reflux episodes associ ated with low/absent LESP. This finding correlates with a high postfeeding antral distension. (C) 2001 by Am. Cell. of Gastroenterology.