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The Frontiers of Reflux Disease

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Abstract

Gastroesophageal reflux disease has frequently been implicated in a wide variety of complications beyond the esophagus. These so-called “extraesophageal” disorders range from diseases of the respiratory tract, such as asthma and bronchitis, to more remote sites and conditions such as otitis and dental erosion. Many articles proposing a link between reflux disease and a multitude of extraesophageal complications have been published, but indisputable evidence that these conditions are caused by reflux disease is rare. Much of the support for a link between reflux disease and a number of extraesophageal complications is based on the observation that reflux disease frequently coexists with other disorders. A causal link is difficult to prove, however, and this review aims to critically evaluate the available evidence, looking, where possible, at longitudinal studies, expert diagnoses, and response to acid-suppressive therapy as a means of determining the true relationship between GERD and its putative extraesophageal complications.

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  1. University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison, USA

    Nimish Vakil

  2. College of Health Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, USA

    Nimish Vakil

  3. Aurora-Sinai Medical Center, 945 North 12th Street, Room 4040, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53233, USA

    Nimish Vakil

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Vakil, N. The Frontiers of Reflux Disease. Dig Dis Sci 51, 1887–1895 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-005-9049-1

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