Visceral sensitivity in gastroesophageal reflux.

Symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is characterized by a wide spectrum of symptoms. The variance of GERD symptoms may be due to a decreased threshold for symptom elicitation/perception described as "visceral sensitivity." In this study GERD symptoms were scored for presence/frequency. The symptom score was weighted for the presence/frequency of typical reflux symptoms: heartburn, retrosternal pain, and regurgitation. The weighted GERD symptom score was used to assess symptom expansion and the hypothesis of GERD visceral sensitivity. One hundred five subjects with heartburn/retrosternal pain underwent esophageal pH studies. Subjects with abnormal esophageal pH studies reported more GERD-related symptoms, occurring more frequently, compared to subjects with normal esophageal pH studies. Symptom scores correlated with the number of reflux episodes but not with the length of time of mucosal exposure to acid. Therefore, aggregation of symptoms in gastroesophageal reflux is associated with frequent alternation between low and normal pH values in the distal esophagus.