INTRODUCTION: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia (FD) are 2 of the most prevalent upper gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in the Western world. Previous Rome definitions excluded patients with predominant heartburn from the definition of FD because they were considered to have GERD. However, more recent studies showed that heartburn and acid regurgitation are also common symptoms in patients with FD. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the prevalence of overlap between GERD and FD, the underlying pathophysiology and implications for treatment. METHODS: A review of the literature was performed using the PubMed database, and a meta-analysis with random effects model was completed. RESULTS: This review showed considerable overlap between GERD and FD. A meta-analysis on the data included in this review showed 7.41% (confidence interval [CI]: 4.55%–11.84%) GERD/FD overlap in the general population, 41.15% (CI: 29.46%–53.93%) GERD with FD symptoms, and 31.32% (CI: 19.43%–46.29%) FD with GERD symptoms. Although numerous committees and consensus groups attempted to develop uniform definitions for the diagnosis of GERD and FD, various diagnostic criteria are used across studies and clinical trials (frequency, severity, and location of symptoms). Several studies showed that the overlap between GERD and FD can be explained by a shared pathophysiology, including delayed gastric emptying and disturbed gastric accommodation. DISCUSSION: For diagnoses of GERD and FD, uniform definitions that are easy to implement in population studies, easy to interpret for physicians, and that need to be well explained to patients to avoid overestimation or underestimation of true prevalence are needed. Both GERD and FD coexist more frequently than expected, based on coincidence, suggesting a potential pathophysiological link. More research is needed to explore the common GERD/FD overlap population to identify the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms, which may lead to a more effective therapeutic approach.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, declared by WHO on March 13 th 2020, had a major global impact on the health care system and services. In the acute phase, the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the aerodigestive tract limited activities in the gastroenterology clinic and procedures to emergencies only. Motility and function testing was interrupted and as we enter the recovery phase, restarting these procedures requires a safety-focused approach with adequate infection prevention for patients and healthcare professionals.Methods: We summarized knowledge on the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus in the aerodigestive tract and the risk of spread with motility and functional testing. We surveyed 39 European centers documenting how the pandemic affected activities and which measures they are considering for restarting these measurements. We propose recommendations based on current knowledge as applied in our center.Results: Positioning of catheters for gastrointestinal motility tests carries a concern for aerosol-borne infection of health care workers. The risk is low with breath tests.The surveyed centers stopped almost all motility and function tests from the second half of March. The speed of restarting and the safety measures taken varied highly.Conclusions and Inferences: Based on these findings, we provided recommendations and practical relevant information for motility and function test procedures in the COVID-19 pandemic era, to guarantee a high-quality patient care with adequate infection prevention.

Background: Chronic opioid use can induce esophageal dysfunction with symptoms resembling achalasia and a manometric pattern of esophagogastric junction-outflow obstruction (EGJ-OO). However, the effect of opioids in acute setting on pharyngeal function and esophageal body contractility has not been investigated. Methods: After positioning the high-resolution impedance manometry (HRiM) catheter, codeine (60 mg) or placebo (glucose syrup) was infused intragastrically. Fortyfive minutes post-infusion, participants received liquid, semi-solid, and solid boluses to assess esophageal and pharyngeal function. HRiM analysis was performed adhering to the Chicago classification v3.0. (CC v3.0). Pressure flow analysis (PFA) for the esophageal body and the pharynx was performed using the SwallowGateway™ online platform. Key Results: Nineteen healthy volunteers (HV) [5 male; age 38.3] were included. After codeine administration, higher integrated relaxation pressure 4 s values resulted in significantly reduced deglutitive EGJ relaxation and distal latency was significantly shorter. Distal contractility was similar in both conditions. Bolus flow resistance at the EGJ and distention pressures increased significantly after codeine infusion. Based on CC v3.0, acute infusion of codeine induced EGJ-OO in six HV (p = 0.0003 vs. placebo).Codeine administration induced no significant alterations in any of the pharyngeal PFA metrics. Conclusions & Inferences:In HV, acute administration of codeine increased bolus resistance at the EGJ secondary to induced incomplete EGJ relaxation leading to major motility disorders in a subset of subjects including EGJ-OO. However, an acute single

Psychological stress negatively affects the intestinal barrier function in animals and humans. We aimed to study the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus CNCM I-3690 on intestinal permeability and stress-markers during public speech. Healthy students were randomized to L. rhamnosus -containing (test) or acidified (placebo) milk consumed twice daily for 4 weeks, with 46 subjects per treatment group. Small intestinal permeability was quantified by a 2 h urinary lactulose–mannitol ratio (LMR, primary outcome), fractional excretion of lactulose (FEL) and mannitol (FEM). Salivary cortisol, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Perceived Stress scores (PSS) were collected. No between-treatment differences were found for LMR (p = .71), FEL or FEM. Within-treatment analyses showed similar LMR and FEL but a stress-induced increase of FEM with the placebo (p < .05) but not test product. Despite a similar increase in salivary cortisol, the stress-induced increase in STAI was significantly lower with the test product vs. placebo (p = .01). Moreover, a stress-preventative effect of the probiotic was found for PSS and more pronounced in subjects with high stress-induced cortisol (p = .01). While increased FEM was mediated by salivary cortisol levels, the effect of the test product on subjective stress was not mediated by changes in FEM. No serious adverse events occurred. In conclusion, we demonstrated that L. rhamnosus CNCM I-3690 prevented stress-induced hyperpermeability to mannitol. Subjective but not objective stress-markers were reduced with L. rhamnosus vs. placebo, suggesting anxiolytic effects, which were independent of barrier stabilization and attractive for the reduction of stress in both health and disease. Clinicaltrials.gov , number NCT03408691.

IntroductionDietary measures are often advised to patients with gastro‐esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Fermentable Oligo‐, Di‐, Mono‐saccharides and Polyols (FODMAPs) induce lower gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms. However, their effects on esophageal motility, including transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESRs), reflux events and GERD symptoms are unknown. We investigated the effect of acute administration of two FODMAPs, fructose, and fructans, on the number of TLESRs, reflux episodes and symptom perception in healthy volunteers (HVs).MaterialsAfter an overnight fast, 20 HVs (10 males; 32.6 ± 2.8 years) underwent a high‐resolution impedance manometry. The number of TLESRs and reflux episodes was quantified during five hours after consumption of a high‐caloric meal (740 kcal) enriched with 40 g of either fructose, fructans or glucose (as placebo). Results were analyzed using mixed models.ResultsThere was a trend for a change in the number of TLESRs between the three conditions (P = .06). Post hoc analysis revealed a trend toward a higher number of TLESRs in the fructan condition compared with placebo (Pcorr = .06). Acute administration of fructose did not influence the number of TLESRs. The total number of reflux events was not affected by either FODMAP condition. Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressures dropped significantly in the first postprandial hour to recover slowly back to baseline values (P < .0001), without any difference in LES pressure between the three conditions.ConclusionIngestion of fructans increased the number of TLESRs slightly compared with placebo. The effect of FODMAPs such as fructans or a low FODMAP diet on reflux parameters in GERD patients remains to be investigated.