Acid base disorders: clinical presentation and management

Acid-Based Disorders:

Gastroesophageal Reflux

In the article "Eosinophilic Esophagitis Attributed to Gastroesophageal Reflux: Improvement with an Amino Acid-Based Formula," the authors describe a brand-new type of treatment for gastroesophageal reflux which "may be effective in patients with an eosinophilic infiltration of the esophagus" (2009, p. 1503), being the introduction of gastric juices into the esophagus, thus causing common heartburn. As part of their study, the authors point out that patients with chronic gastroesophageal reflux did show some improvement by using a new type of amino acid formula, even when "specific dietary proteins were re-introduced during open food challenges" (2009, p. 1506).

As a disease, gastroesophageal reflux can be described as the backflow of the contents of the stomach into the esophagus "that is often the result of incompetence of the lower esophageal sphincter," a part of the esophagus which normally prevents gastric juices from entering the lower and middle sections of the esophagus (Glanze, 1990, p. 508). Of course, if gastric juices continually enter the esophagus, causing heartburn, other disorders like esophagitis and peptic/esophagus ulcers may occur (Glanze, 1990, p. 509).