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Abnormal gastro‐oesophageal reflux in Chinese with atypical chest pain
Author(s) -
LAU GEORGE KK,
HUI WAI MO,
LAU CHU PAK,
HU WAYNE HC,
LAI KAM CHUEN,
LAM SHIU KUM
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.1996.tb00331.x
Subject(s) - medicine , reflux , heartburn , gerd , chest pain , dysphagia , regurgitation (circulation) , gastroenterology , gastro , ambulatory , disease , surgery
Although atypical chest pain has been well described in the Western population, its frequency in Chinese is unknown. Over a period of 42 months, we studied 521 Chinese patients with chest pain and identified 108 patients (20.7%) whose pain was not related to cardiac causes, as determined by exercise ECG or cardiac catheterization. Using 24 h ambulatory pH monitoring and baseline oesophageal manometry, 28.7, 19.4 and 5.6% of these patients were found to have abnormal reflux parameters, abnormal manometric findings or both, respectively. There were significantly more patients complaining of chest pain during the study in the gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) group than in the non‐GERD group (16/31 vs 20/77; P < 0.001). The lower oesophageal sphincter pressure was lower in those with abnormal reflex parameters than in those with normal reflux parameters (12.7±5.4 vs 17.8±5.8 mmHg; P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in symptoms, such as heartburn (54.8 vs 42.9%), regurgitation (38.7 vs 35.1%) and dysphagia (19.4 vs 24.7%), among the two groups. Non‐specific changes were the most frequent baseline motility pattern. In conclusion, atypical chest pain and gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease are not uncommon in Chinese and this deserves special emphasis as the continuation of anti‐anginal drugs may aggravate their condition.