Publisher's Synopsis
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) continues to intrigue both clinicians and researchers alike because of its varied presentation, changing epidemiology, lack of gold standard for diagnosis, and evolving treatment. It affects a major proportion of the adult population in the Western World and appears to be on the increase even in areas such as Southeast Asia, suggesting a role of environmental factors and lifestyle. GERD has different manifestations from simple heartburn to esophageal chest pain, hoarseness of voice or even asthma-like symptoms. The question of whether the spectrum of GERD is continuous or discontinuous, and whether the entities of endoscopy-negative reflux, esophagitis and Barrett's esophagus are truly distinct or entities in transition from less severe to more severe forms remains a source of contention. It is also unclear whether these entities differ greatly with respect to their pathophysiology and natural history even though their clinical management is similar - aimed at symptom resolution. Moreover, the classification of GERD, based on endoscopic criteria, really does not help in either diagnosis or treatment given that the majority of GERD patients have a normal endoscopy and that treatment is symptom driven. These and many more issues are addressed by the review and original articles collected in this publication, providing state-of-the-art information for both researchers and clinicians.
