A new study published in the Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility compared the baseline impedance and the dilated intercellular spaces (DIS) within patients with typical reflux symptoms and to evaluate the correlation of baseline impedance with DIS, esophageal acid exposure, as well as the efficacy of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment. This study enrolled 92 patients and 10 healthy controls; wherein patients without mucosa erosion were divided into groups with pathologic acid reflux (non-erosive reflux disease [NERD]) or with hypersensitive esophagus. All the patients were given esomeprazole 20 mg twice-daily, for 8 weeks. It was observed that the intercellular spaces were dilated in both erosive esophagitis (EE) and NERD patients. Additionally, the baseline impedance was decreased in both EE patients and NERD patients, and was negatively correlated to the acid exposure time. Moreover, there was a weak correlation between DIS and baseline impedance. The results detected dilated intercellular space and decreased baseline impedance in patients with mucosa erosion or pathological acid reflux. It was stated that baseline impedance reflected mucosal integrity. Hence, patients with lower baseline impedance, as in EE and NERD, could benefit from PPI treatment.¹

Reference

1. Xie C, Sifrim D, Li Y, Chen M, Xiao Y. Esophageal Baseline Impedance Reflects Mucosal Integrity and Predicts Symptomatic Outcome With Proton Pump Inhibitor Treatment. Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. 2017. doi:10.5056/jnm17032.