Gastroesophageal reflux disease
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Gastroesophageal reflux disease, abbreviated GERD, is a common pathology of the esophagus. It is also known as reflux esophagitis.
It is occasionally abbreviated GORD (gastro-oesophageal reflux disease).
General
Clinical:
- Usually chest pain
- +/-Abdominal pain.
- +/-Vomiting.
- +/-Blood loss.
Treatment:
- Treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).
DDx (clinical):
Gross
- Erythema.
- Erosions.
- +/-Ulceration.
Note:
- Many be graded using Savary-Miller classification.
Images:
Microscopic
Features:
- Basal cell hyperplasia;[1] > 3 cells thick or >15% of epithelial thickness.
- Papillae elongated; papillae reach into the top 1/3 of the epithelial layer.[2]
- Inflammation, esp. eosinophils, lymphocytes with convoluted nuclei ("squiggle cells").
- +/-Intraepithelial edema.
- +/-Apoptotic cells.[3]
Notes:
- Intraepithelial cells with irregular nuclear contours, "squiggle cells" (T lymphocytes[4]), may mimic neutrophils.
- Changes may be focal.
- PPI effect may be seen in a concurrent gastric biopsy.
DDx:
- Eosinophilic esophagitis - characterized by similar histomorphologic features. The key difference is: more eosinophils.
- Barrett's esophagus - intestinal metaplasia may be minimal.
Images:
Sign out
Poorly oriented
ESOPHAGUS, BIOPSY: - SQUAMOUS MUCOSA WITH BASAL CELL HYPERPLASIA, INTRAEPITHELIAL EDEMA AND RARE INTRAEPITHELIAL EOSINOPHILS -- COMPATIBLE WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX.
Columnar epithelium present
ESOPHAGUS, BIOPSY: - SQUAMOUS MUCOSA WITH BASAL CELL HYPERPLASIA, INTRAEPITHELIAL EDEMA AND RARE INTRAEPITHELIAL EOSINOPHILS -- COMPATIBLE WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX. - COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM WITH MODERATE CHRONIC INACTIVE INFLAMMATION. - NEGATIVE FOR INTESTINAL METAPLASIA. - NEGATIVE FOR DYSPLASIA AND NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY.
Ulceration present
ESOPHAGUS, DISTAL, BIOPSY: - SQUAMOUS MUCOSA WITH BASAL CELL HYPERPLASIA, INTRAEPITHELIAL EDEMA, RARE INTRAEPITHELIAL EOSINOPHILS AND EVIDENCE OF ULCERATION -- COMPATIBLE WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX. - COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM WITH MODERATE CHRONIC INACTIVE INFLAMMATION. - NEGATIVE FOR INTESTINAL METAPLASIA. - NEGATIVE FOR DYSPLASIA AND NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY. COMMENT: PAS-D staining is negative for microorganisms.
BE and GERD present
ESOPHAGUS (DISTAL), BIOPSY: - COLUMNAR EPITHELIUM WITH INTESTINAL METAPLASIA AND MODERATE CHRONIC INFLAMMATION, SEE COMMENT. - SQUAMOUS MUCOSA WITH BASAL CELL HYPERPLASIA, INTRAEPITHELIAL EDEMA AND RARE INTRAEPITHELIAL EOSINOPHILS -- COMPATIBLE WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX. - NEGATIVE FOR DYSPLASIA AND NEGATIVE FOR MALIGNANCY. COMMENT: The findings are consistent with Barrett's esophagus in the appropriate endoscopic setting.
See also
References
- ↑ Steiner, SJ.; Kernek, KM.; Fitzgerald, JF. (May 2006). "Severity of basal cell hyperplasia differs in reflux versus eosinophilic esophagitis.". J Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr 42 (5): 506-9. doi:10.1097/01.mpg.0000221906.06899.1b. PMID 16707971.
- ↑ Cotran, Ramzi S.; Kumar, Vinay; Fausto, Nelson; Nelso Fausto; Robbins, Stanley L.; Abbas, Abul K. (2005). Robbins and Cotran pathologic basis of disease (7th ed.). St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier Saunders. pp. 804. ISBN 0-7216-0187-1.
- ↑ Wetscher GJ, Schwelberger H, Unger A, et al. (December 1998). "Reflux-induced apoptosis of the esophageal mucosa is inhibited in Barrett's epithelium". Am. J. Surg. 176 (6): 569–73. PMID 9926792.
- ↑ Cucchiara, S.; D'Armiento, F.; Alfieri, E.; Insabato, L.; Minella, R.; De Magistris, TM.; Scoppa, A. (Nov 1995). "Intraepithelial cells with irregular nuclear contours as a marker of esophagitis in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease.". Dig Dis Sci 40 (11): 2305-11. PMID 7587806.
- ↑ Genevay, M.; Rubbia-Brandt, L.; Rougemont, AL. (Jun 2010). "Do eosinophil numbers differentiate eosinophilic esophagitis from gastroesophageal reflux disease?". Arch Pathol Lab Med 134 (6): 815-25. doi:10.1043/1543-2165-134.6.815. PMID 20524860.