Refractory GERD Kenneth R. DeVault, MD, FACG President American College of Gastroenterology Chair Department of Medicine Mayo Clinic Florida Objectives Define the terminology associated with refractory GERD and PPI failure Identify predictors of response to increasing acid suppression in refractory patients Characterize the role of visceral hypersensitivity in refractory NERD patients Discuss non-acid blocking therapy in GERD Page 1 of 18
PPIs are the most effective drugs for the initial treatment of GERD % esophagitis cases healed 100 80 60 40 20 0 2 4 6 8 12 Weeks of treatment Chiba et al. Gastroenterology 1997 PPIs H 2 RAs p < 0.0005 Placebo 5-way cross over trial of PPIs (mean hours intragastric ph >4) Miner P et al Am J Gastroenterol 2003:98:2612-20. 10.1 11.5 11.8 12.1 Pantoprazole 40 mg Lansoparzole 30 mg Omeprazole 20 mg Rabepazole 20 mg Esomeprazole 40 mg 14 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 Page 2 of 18
Hours Intragastric ph > 4 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 What about BID Intragastric ph Control Mean Intragastric ph >4 on day 5; Corrected data 15.3 19.46 40 mg qd 40 mg BID Medication Dosing QD DOSING REFERENCE: Miner P, Katz P,Chen Y, Sostek M. Am J Gastroenterol 2003:98:2612-20. BID DOSING REFERENCE: Johnson DA, et al. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2005;22:129-34. Acid Suppression: Is there room for Improvement? Duration of Action (ph >4.0 gastric ph monitoring) 15 hours Best PPI qd 19 hours Best PPI BID Onset of Action Most PPIs take 3-5 days to reach steady state Limits efficacy for on-demand Need for taking prior to meals Except dexlansoprazole and IR omeprazole Page 3 of 18
Based on the available RCTs you would expect refractory GERD after once daily PPI: Esophagitis does not heal in 15-20% of severe cases (LA C or D) Esophagitis recurs in 10-30% of patients on maintenance therapy Symptoms continue in 20-30 % of esophagitis patients despite healing Up to 40% of NERD patients How should we define response? Complete response Symptoms are controlled satisfactorily Partial response Symptoms improve, but not satisfactorily and usually get worse if PPI is stopped* Non response Symptoms do not improve and do not worsen when PPI stopped* *Issues of rebound hyperacidity need to be considered Page 4 of 18
BID PPI (or going to stronger agent) Complete response No need, may want to seek lowest effective dose Partial response Reasonable to increase acid suppression, but if no improvement, cut back to qd Role for ph testing if response equivocal? Non response Unlikely to respond Better to stop and do ph testing *Issues of rebound hyperacidity need to be considered Use of BID PPI-Additional Thoughts No clear data from RCT to support routine BID No reason to use less or more than typical dose Probably little effect of going higher than a strong PPI BID Second dose prior to dinner except for dexlansoprazole and IR-OME In general, BID omeprazole provides similar day and night control when compared to even the newest PPIs given once daily Controversial Issues Nocturnal H2RA or Prokinetic Would a second dose of PPI beat placebo? Does switching PPI help? Increased complications with higher doses Page 5 of 18
Are PPI safe? Decreased calcium absorption and increased risk of fracture Decline in vitamin B12 stores Decline in serum magnesium Increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection Increased risk of both community and hospital acquired pneumonia Small bowel bacterial overgrowth Increased risk of other enteric infection Drug interactions, most importantly to the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel Increased risk of chronic kidney disease Increased rate of dementia in PPI users Guidance from ACG guidelines Decreased calcium absorption and increased risk of fracture Patients with known osteoporosis can remain on PPI therapy. Concern for hip fractures and osteoporosis should not affect the decision to use PPI long-term except in patients with other risk factors for hip fracture. Increased risk of Clostridium difficile infection PPI therapy can be a risk factor for Clostridium difficile infection, and should be used with care in patients at risk Increased risk of both community and hospital acquired pneumonia Short-term PPI usage may increase the risk of community-acquired pneumonia. The risk does not appear elevated in long-term users. Drug interactions, most importantly to the antiplatelet drug clopidogrel PPI therapy does not need to be altered in concomitant clopidogrel users as there does not appear to be an increased risk for adverse cardiovascular events. Page 6 of 18
Other Associations Decline in vitamin B12 stores If significant can take many years. B12 pill is all that is needed Decline in serum magnesium Watch for this, particularly if potassium low and other CV issues Small bowel bacterial overgrowth Not a lot of data, but makes sense?probiotics or breath testing? Increased risk of other enteric infection Traveler s diarrhea Increased risk of kidney disease Small increase in both acute and chronic PPI may worsen NSAID small bowel injury CGH June 2016 Page 7 of 18
Increased rate of dementia in PPI users JAMA Neurol. Published online February 15, 2016. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2015.4791 Is there science behind these potential complications? Proton Pump Inhibitors Accelerate Endothelial Senescence Circulation Research 2016 The proton-pump inhibitor lansoprazole enhances amyloid beta production PLoS One 2013 An Unexpected Effect of Proton Pump Inhibitors: Elevation of the Cardiovascular Risk Factor ADMA Circulation 2013 Page 8 of 18
What is the role of visceral hypersensitivity in GERD? Increased Esophageal Sensitivity to Acid and Saline in Patients With Nonerosive Gastro-esophageal Reflux Disease JCG 2006;40:891-5 Page 9 of 18
The Effect of Auditory Stress on Perception of Intraesophageal Acid in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Fass et al. Gastroenterology 2008 Loss of Sleep Worsens GERD Symptoms Gastroenterology 2007;133:1787-95 Page 10 of 18
Alternatives to Acid Suppression Prokinetics and GERD-1995 The pathogensis of GERD is related to defects in esophagogastric motility Ideal pharmacological therapy would correct these defects, making suppression of normal amounts of gastic acid unnecessary Results with the available drugs have been disappointing DeVault and Castell ACG guidelines 1995 Page 11 of 18
300 Baclofen Versus Placebo: Impedance Parameters in GERD No. Reflux Episodes 250 200 150 100 50 Placebo Baclofen 0 Total Acid Nonacid M. Vela, et al. Alim Pharmacol & Terapeut 2003;17:243. Arbaclofen Placarbil Monotherapy Decreases GERD Symptoms in Subjects with Previous PPI Therapy Well tolerated baclofen pro-drug Improved symptoms in patients who had been treated with PPIs in the past. 30 mg BID produced complete relief of symptoms in 60% in PPI experienced patients Other agents are being studied as either monotherapy or perhaps adjuncts to partial PPI responders. Phase II trial as add-on to PPI yielded no benefit and development was halted! Page 12 of 18
Prokinetics Available agents have low efficacy and poor side effect profile Most new agents are failing Baclofen like agents Efficacy has been poor and reaching market is questionable for most GABA-B agonist (lesogaberan) Poor efficacy and elevated LFTs with some agents Any new prokinetic will likely have modest efficacy and find a place as an add-on to PPI if at all Diet and Lifestyle Modifications Diet: avoid acidic/irritating foods or foods that can cause acid reflux Stop smoking Avoid coffee, tea, and caffeinated beverages Decrease alcohol consumption Elevate head of bed Avoid eating within 3 hours before bedtime WEIGHT LOSS!!!!! Kahrilas PJ. N Engl J Med. 2008;359:1700-1707. Page 13 of 18
Predictors of Outcome of Antireflux Surgery 100 consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic antireflux surgery performed by 2 surgeons Surgical success rate at follow-up: 91% (average followup, 15 months) Predictors of successful surgery Age <50 years Present with typical GERD symptoms Complete resolution of symptoms with acid-suppression therapy N = 100. Jackson et al. Am J Surg. 2001;181:231-235. Page 14 of 18
Symptom Response after Laparoscopic Antireflux Surgery So JB et al. Surgery 1998;124:28-32 100 90 80 70 60 % 50 40 30 20 10 0 93 78 58 48 Heartburn Laryngeal Pulmonary Chest Pain Magnetic Sphincter-Linx Page 15 of 18
Median Total GERD-HRQL Score Long-Term Data CGH 2015 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Without Proton-Pump Inibitors at Baseline With Proton-Pump Inhibitors at Baseline 5 Yr after Sphincter Augmentation Long-term Outcomes of Patients Receiving a Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation Device for Gastroesophageal Reflux CGH 2015 Page 16 of 18
RFA of LES: Perhaps worth another look? Meta-analysis - 18 Studies 1,441 Patients Outcome Variable Studies (n) Patients (n) Mean Follow-up (mo.) Pre-Stretta Post- Stretta P-value SUBJECTIVE MEASUREMENTS GERD-HRQL 9 433 19.8 26.11 9.25 0.0001 QOLRAD 4 250 25.2 3.30 9.25 0.0010 SF-36 Physical 6 299 9.5 36.45 46.12 0.0001 SF-36 Mental 5 264 10.0 46.79 55.16 0.0015 Heartburn Score 9 525 24.1 3.55 1.19 0.0001 Satisfaction Score 5 366 21.9 1..43 4.07 0.0006 OBJECTIVE MEASUREMENTS Esophageal Acid Exposure 11 364 11.9 10.29 6.51 0.0003 (%PH.<4) DeMeester score 7 267 13.1 44.37 28.53 0.0074 LES pressure 7 263 8.7 16.54 20.24 0.0302 Radiofrequency Energy Delivery to the Lower Esophageal Sphincter Reduces Esophageal Acid Exposure and Improves GERD Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Kyle A. Perry, MD, Ambar Banerjee, MD, and William Scott Melvin, MD. Surg Laparosc Endosc Percutan Tech 2012;22:283 288 Other potential tests Barium Hiatal hernia size Otherwise rarely helpful (unless dysphagia) Esophageal Biopsy to rule out eosinophilic esophagitis Utility in patients with normal appearance and no dysphagia is unknown Gastric emptying test Generally avoid except when patient has suggestive symptoms Esophageal Manometry Preop test Reasonable to do in conjunction with ph test Localize LES Evaluate peristalsis Page 17 of 18
Approach to Refractory GERD Make sure patient has GERD Esophagitis LA-B or greater Long segment BE Positive ph test Look for alternative or other worsening factors BMI Rumination Other motility disorders Gastroparesis Achalasia Dyspepsia Eosinophilic Esophagitis Optimize medical and lifestyle therapy Refractory regurgitation responds to surgery Beware of other refractory symptoms Thank you! Page 18 of 18