Ocular Surface Disease may be manifestation of GERD

A new study published in Cornea suggests that there was an increase in prevalence of ocular discomfort in patients with GERD/LPR. Further the observations of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) and neuropeptide Y transcripts demonstrate the potential neurogenic nature of the inflammatory state.

Common gastrointestinal illnesses with extraesophageal symptoms (EGERD) include gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR). GERD/LPR and eye pain have been linked in studies. Antonio Di Zazzo and colleagues undertook this study to assess the incidence of ocular involvement among individuals with GERD/LPR, characterize clinical and biomolecular signs, and suggest a therapeutic plan for this unique EGERD.

This masked randomized controlled research included 53 LPR patients and 25 healthy controls. With a 1-month follow-up, fifteen naïve individuals with LPR were treated with magnesium alginate eye drops and oral treatment (magnesium alginate and simethicone tablets). A clinical eye surface examination, the eye Surface Disease Index questionnaire, tear sample, and conjunctival imprinting were all conducted. ELISA was used to measure tear pepsin levels. Imprints were subjected to immunodetection for human leukocyte antigen-DR isotype (HLA-DR) and transcript expression (PCR) for HLA-DR, mucin 5AC (MUC5AC), IL8, nicotine adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), vasoactive intestinal peptide, and neuropeptide Y.