Esophageal dynamics detection and clinical characteristics of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease in peri-menopausal period

  Objective  To study the esophageal dynamics characteristics and clinical features of peri-menopausal women with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

  Methods  A total of 110 female patients with GERD who were treated in our hospital were selected as subjects. According to menstrual conditions, these patients were divided into perimenopausal group (n=45) and non-peri-menopausal group (n=65). The esophageal motility characteristics, incidences of typical symptom and atypical symptom of GERD patients were analyzed and compared.

  Results  The incidence of acid reflux symptoms in the perimenopausal group was significantly lower than that in the non-peri-menopausal group (44.45% vs. 52.31%, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of antifeedant symptoms and heartburn symptoms (P>0.05). Among the atypical symptoms, the incidence of pharyngitis and pharyngeal foreign body sensation was higher in the two groups; the incidence of belching in the perimenopausal group was significantly higher than that in the non-peri-menopausal group (53.33%vs. 29.23%, P < 0.05), the incidence of sleep disorder was significantly higher than that of non-peri-menopausal group (55.56% vs. 27.69%, P < 0.05). The GerdQ scores of peri-menopausal and non-peri-menopausal GERD patients were (9.57±1.82) and (9.87±2.25), respectively, but showed no significant difference(P>0.05). There were no significant differences in the total number of reflux, acid reflux and non-acid reflux in the peri-menopausal group and non-peri-menopausal group (P>0.05). The number of weak acid reflux in the two groups had significant difference (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Peri-menopausal women with GERD mostly have atypical symptoms such as pharyngitis and pharyngeal foreign body sensation. Esophageal dynamics test can be used as an important indicators for the diagnosis of peri-menopausal women with GERD.