Induction of gastro-oesophageal reflux by alcohol.

Abstract

SUMMARY In order to establish whether alcohol in amounts customarily imbibed during social drinking causes gastro-oesophageal reflux, 12 healthy young individuals, without symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux, were studied twice. Each time, distal oesophageal pH was monitored continuously for three hours after a standard meal which included either 180 ml 100 proof vodka or 180 ml water. The order of studies with and without alcohol was random. Peak blood alcohol concentrations ranged between 0-63 and 1 29 g/l. Eleven of the 12 subjects refluxed more after alcohol; and the difference in mean reflux scores for studies with and without alcohol was highly significant. We conclude that relatively modest quantities of alcohol induce gastro-oesophageal reflux in healthy people.

Mechanism of gastroesophageal reflux in recumbent asymptomatic human subjects.

“…In a recent study, however, Fisher et al (18), with a scintiscan method, conclude that a tube across the LES does not cause increased GE reflux. Further, the pre-and post-prandial incidence and duration of GE reflux in our study volunteers was similar to the findings from some other studies in which esophageal pH was monitored without a tube across the LES in recumbent normal subjects (12,13,19). Forthese reasons, we believe that the presence of the sleeve catheter assembly straddling the LES did not act as a major factor in eliciting GE reflux in normal subjects.…”

“…Additionally, we observed small drops of esophageal pH, generally associated with common cavity phenomena, that probably represented reflux of either small amounts of acid, gastric juice with a pH >4, or gas. Our finding that [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30] 31-60 61-120 Time Esophageal pH < 4.0 multiple episodes of GE reflux occur in recumbent, asymptomatic subjects with normal esophageal function serves to reinforce the findings of other workers (12)(13)(14)(15). An important consideration is that the presence of the sleeve sensor across the LES may have prompted GE reflux in our volunteer subjects.…”

The prophylactic use of a proton pump inhibitor before food and alcohol

“…5,6 Beer and wine have also been shown to be associated with significant reflux when compared with ethanol or water. 7 The mechanism does not appear to be consistent across different types of alcoholic beverage or related to their absolute ethanol content or pH.…”

Alcohol and the digestive system – should it always be blamed?

“…Wywoływanie refluksu żołądkowo-przełykowego przez napoje alkoholowe jest niezbicie udokumentowane metodami naukowymi, a u podłoża jego patomechanizmu leżą opisane powyżej zaburzenia motoryki przełyku i LES [51][52][53][54][55]. Pewną wskazówką praktyczną dla amatorów napojów alkoholowych wynikającą z badań jest ujawnienie, że szczegól-nie refluksogenne jest białe wino, po którego wypiciu nasilenie wstecznego zarzucania kwaśnej treści żołąd-kowej do przełyku jest znamiennie bardziej nasilone niż po wypiciu piwa [54] lub czerwonego wina [53].…”