الفهرس 
Role of endoscopy in diagnosingOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
SUMMARY
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is defined as
the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, leading to
esophagitis, reflux symptoms sufficient to impair the quality of
life, and increased risk of long-term complications (Barlow et
al., 2005).
This definition emphasizes that gastroesophageal reflux
becomes a disease when it either causes macroscopic damage to
the esophagus or affects the quality of life (Kim et al., 2011).
GERD can be divided into erosive (ERD) and non
erosive (NERD) reflux disease, and the presence or severity of
erosive esophagitis at endoscopy has been defined using
mucosal breaks based on the Los Angeles classification
(Caviglia et al., 2007).
In our study we recruited 60 patients in 2 groups, GERD
group with GERD symptoms but negative mucosal breaks
(NERD) and non GERD group according to GERDQ, Both of
them were investigated for the presence of the six identified
minimal changes and there significance to the symptoms. We
found a high significant difference between patient and control
groups as regard BMI, sex, smoking and white turbid
discoloration as a minimal change, also a high significant
difference was found between cardia and erythema, blurring of
Z-line as a minimal change also.
Also we identified two of the six minimal change
esophagitis endoscopically as being more common in the
patient group with GERD symptoms compared with the other
findings which are erythema and white turbid discoloration.
So, according to our study there is no clinical relevance
in the diagnosis of NERD depending on endoscopic minimal
change espphagitis.