CONTEXTO: Existe uma noção geral de que indivíduos obesos desenvolvem mais freqüentemente a doença do refluxo gastroesofagiano, sendo a orientação de perder peso parte integrante do seu tratamento. Entretanto, uma base científica para esta associação não está plenamente estabelecida. OBJETIVOS: Avaliar a prevalência de obesidade e sobrepeso em pacientes com sintomas típicos de refluxo, com e sem esofagite erosiva. Analisar a prevalência de hérnia hiatal e a intensidade do refluxo anormal em relação ao índice de massa corporal nos dois grupos de pacientes. MÉTODOS: Foram examinadas retrospectivamente 362 pHmetrias de pacientes com pirose, todos com endoscopia digestiva alta prévia, definindo-se esofagite erosiva pela presença de erosões esofagianas macroscópicas e hérnia de hiato quando à junção esôfago-gástrica estava 2 cm ou mais acima do pinçamento diafragmático. Pacientes com esôfago de Barrett ou estenose péptica foram excluídos. A população foi dividida em três grupos de acordo com o índice de massa corpórea: peso normal, com índice de massa corporal entre 20 e 24,9, sobrepeso, com 25 e 29,9 e obesos com índice superior a 30. O diagnóstico de refluxo gastroesofagiano anormal com sua intensidade foi avaliado de acordo com os resultados de pHmetrias, analisados nos grupos de pacientes com e sem esofagite erosiva em relação ao índice de massa corporal. RESULTADOS: Entre os 362 pacientes, havia 148 (41%) com e 214 (59%) sem esofagite erosiva, sendo a pHmetria anormal em 100% e 57% dos pacientes, retrospectivamente. Entre os 148 (61% do sexo masculino, mediana de idade de 50 anos), 41 (28%) apresentavam peso normal, 82 (55%) sobrepeso e 25 (17%) eram obesos. Havia 88 (60%) com hérnia hiatal, sendo 29 (71% dos pacientes com peso normal), 45 (55% dos com sobrepeso) e 14 (56% dos obesos). Nos 121 indivíduos sem esofagite erosiva e com pHmetria anormal, diagnosticados como doentes com doença do refluxo não-erosiva (38% masculino, mediana de idade de 50 anos), havia 51 (42%) pacientes com peso normal, 55 (46%) com sobrepeso e 15 (12%) eram obesos. Detectou-se hérnia de hiato em 52 (43%) dos 121 pacientes, sendo 21 (41% dos indivíduos com peso normal), 24 (44% dos com sobrepeso) e 7 (47% dos obesos). Naqueles 93 pacientes sem esofagite erosiva e com pHmetria normal (39% homens, mediana de idade de 43 anos) havia 43 (46%) pacientes com peso normal, 38 (41%) com sobrepeso e 12 (13%) obesos, sendo 26 (28%) com hérnia hiatal. A prevalência de hérnia de hiato, assim como o número de pacientes com obesidade e sobrepeso foi significantemente maior no grupo de doença do refluxo erosiva, quando comparado ao grupo sem esofagite erosiva. A intensidade do refluxo, assim como a prevalência de hérnia hiatal foram similares nos pacientes com peso normal, sobrepeso e obesos, em ambos os grupos. CONCLUSÃO:A prevalência de obesidade e sobrepeso é maior em indivíduos com doença do refluxo erosiva do que naqueles sem esofagite erosiva. Não houve diferença na intensidade do refluxo entre as várias categorias de índice de massa corporal, em nenhum dos grupos estudados. Embora a hérnia hiatal seja mais prevalente na doença do refluxo erosiva, esta superioridade não se relacionou ao excesso de peso.
CONTEXT: Weight loss is commonly recommended as a treatment for gastroesophageal reflux; however, a relationship between excessive body weight and gastroesophageal reflux disease is not well established. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of obesity and over-weight in patients with heartburn, with and without erosive esophagitis; to analyze the prevalence of hiatal hernia and the intensity of abnormal gastroesophageal reflux in both groups of patients, and its relation to body mass index. METHODS: The data of pH monitoring of 362 individuals with heartburn were evaluated retrospectively. All patients had an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and erosive esophagitis was defined by the presence of macroscopic erosion on the esophageal mucosa. Hiatal hernia was considered when the gastroesophageal junction was positioned 2 cm or more above the diaphragm. Patients with Barrett's esophagus or esophageal peptic stenosis were excluded. The population was categorized according to body mass index as normal weight (body mass index between 20 and 24.9); over-weight (between 25 and 29.9), and obese (greater than 30). The diagnosis as well as the intensity of abnormal gastroesophageal reflux were obtained through the analysis of the results of pH monitoring in patients with and without erosive esophagitis and in the various categories of body mass index. RESULTS: Among the 362 patients there were 148 (41%) with erosive esophagitis and 214 (59%) without erosive esophagitis, while the pH monitoring was abnormal in 100% and 57%, respectively. Among the 148 individuals with erosive esophagitis (61% male, median age 50 years), 41 (28%) had normal weight, 82 (55%) had over-weight and 25 (17%) were obese. There were 88 (60%) patients with hiatal hernia, which was present in 29 (71% of patients with normal weight), 45 (55% of patients with over-weight) and 14 (56% of obese individuals). In 121 patients without erosive esophagitis who had abnormal pH monitoring, diagnosed as non erosive reflux disease (38% male, median age 50 years), 51 (42%) patients had normal weight, 55 (46%) had over-weight and 15 (12%) were obese. Hiatal hernia was detected in 52 out of 121 (43%) patients and in 21 (41%) out of 51 individuals with normal weight, 24 (44%) of over-weight and 7 (47%) of obese. In the group of 93 patients without erosive esophagitis and normal pH monitoring (29% male, median age 43 years), 26 (28%) had hiatal hernia and there were 43 (46%) individuals with normal weight, 38 (41%) with over-weight and 12 (13%) were obese. The number of patients with obesity and over-weight was significantly higher in the group with erosive esophagitis compared to the ones without erosive esophagitis. The prevalence of hiatal hernia was also superior in the erosive reflux disease patients. The reflux intensity and the prevalence of hiatal hernia were similar in patients with normal weight, over-weight and obesity in the group with erosive reflux disease and non-erosive reflux disease. CONCLUSION: There was a greater prevalence of obesity and over-weight in the group of patients with erosive esophagitis compared to patients with non-erosive reflux disease. There was no difference in reflux intensity measurements in any of the body mass index categories, in both groups. Although there was a major prevalence of hiatal hernia in the group of erosive reflux disease patients, this superiority was not extended to the categories of excessive weight in both groups.
