Key result
In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, GERD prevalence was 27%, and symptoms had low accuracy for diagnosing GERD (50% sensitivity and 70% specificity).
Why the study?
What is the prevalence of GERD, the accuracy of symptoms for its diagnosis, and its temporal correlation with arrhythmia in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation?
Cross-Sectional (n=22)
What is the prevalence of GERD, the accuracy of symptoms for its diagnosis, and its temporal correlation with arrhythmia in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation?
In patients with paroxysmal AF, GERD prevalence is low, symptoms are inaccurate for diagnosis, and there is limited temporal correlation between reflux and AF episodes.
BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. Some evidence shows that gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may be a trigger for paroxysmal AF (PAF). Most of the previous studies that correlated GERD and AF used questionnaires to diagnose GERD, not an objective evaluation. This study aims to evaluate in patients with PAF: (a) accuracy of symptoms to diagnose GERD; (b) prevalence of GERD; and (c) temporal correlation between cardiac arrhythmia and reflux. METHODS: Twenty-two patients (59% females, mean age 68 years) with PAF underwent esophageal manometry followed by ambulatory pH monitoring and concurrent Holter. Eight (36%) patients had GERD symptoms. Patients were grouped as GERD+ or GERD- based on the DeMeester score. Temporal correlation between arrhythmia and reflux was recorded. RESULTS: Six (27%) patients were GERD+. Symptoms had sensitivity and specificity of 50 and 70%, respectively, for the diagnosis of GERD. Episodic AF occurred in one patient only (GERD-). There were 23 episodes of AF during the test with 14% correlation with reflux. Persistent AF during the period of the test was found in five patients (60% GERD+). CONCLUSIONS: Our results show: (a) Symptoms have a low accuracy for the diagnosis of GERD; (b) the prevalence of GERD in patients with PAF is low; and
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Coutinho et al. (2017) conducted a cross-sectional in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation (n=22). GERD symptoms vs. No GERD symptoms was evaluated on Accuracy of symptoms to diagnose GERD, prevalence of GERD, and temporal correlation between cardiac arrhythmia and reflux. In patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, GERD prevalence was 27%, and symptoms had low accuracy for diagnosing GERD (50% sensitivity and 70% specificity).
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