Features of the clinical course of gastroesophageal reflux disease associated with obesity

The research goal is to reveal the features of clinical manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in obesity. Material and Methods. A survey and anthropometric study of 51 patients suffering from GERD and obesity aged 30 to 60 years were conducted. The average age of the patients was 42.3±2.11 years. Patients were divided into groups according to the BMI score. The control group consisted of patients suffering from GERD without obesity. Results. The main complaint of the patients of the control group was heartburn, while the patients of the main group had complaints of dyspeptic nature. With an increase in BMI, there was an increase in the incidence of complaints, in addition, complaints of an extra-esophageal nature associated with the direct effect of acidic gastric contents on the pharyngeal mucosa were detected. This regularity is explained in the article by pathogenetic mechanisms of GERD development. In patients suffering from GERD without obesity, the development of the disease is caused by a change in the motor activity of the esophagus due to a decrease in the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter, and in patients with co-pathology the main role is given to increased intragastric pressure, which leads to disruption of the sphincter. Conclusion. Thus, the clinical picture of combination of GERD and obesity differs atypical for GERD current, the main features of which are the predominance of dyspeptic complaints, motor-evacuation disorders, and the presence of extraesophageal complaints.