The effects of chili on gastric accommodation (GA) in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients have not been explored. Methods: In total, 15 healthy volunteers (HV) and 15 pH-positive non-erosive GERD (NERD) patients underwent single-photon emission computed tomography after ingesting 2 g of chili or placebo in capsules in a randomized double-blind crossover fashion with a one-week washout period. GA was the maximal postprandial gastric volume (GV) after 250 mL of Ensure® minus the fasting GV. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms were evaluated by using a visual analog scale. Results: NERD patients but not HV had significantly greater GA after chili compared to a placebo (451 ± 89 vs. 375 ± 81 mL, p < 0.05). After chili, the postprandial GVs at 10, 20, and 30 min in NERD patients were significantly greater than HV (10 min, 600 ± 73 vs. 526 ± 70 mL; 20 min, 576 ± 81 vs. 492 ± 78 mL; 30 min, 532 ± 81 vs. 466 ± 86 mL, all p < 0.05). In NERD, chili was associated with significantly less satiety, more severe abdominal burning (p < 0.05), and a trend of more severe heartburn (p = 0.06) compared to the placebo. In HV, postprandial symptoms after chili and placebo ingestion were similar (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Chili enhanced GA in NERD patients but not in HV. This suggests that the modulation of GA in NERD is abnormal and likely involves transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) sensitive pathways.

Background/AimsTo evaluate the value of a 2-week high dose proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment on patients with overlapping non-erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (NERD) and functional dyspepsia (FD).MethodsSixty overlapping NERD and FD patients with symptom onset > 3 months prior underwent 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring studies. All patients received rabeprazole 20 mg b.i.d. for 2 weeks. The reflux and dyspeptic symptoms were evaluated using a symptom questionnaire with 4-point Likert scales before and at the end of treatment. A positive PPI test was defined as score improvement in ≥ 50% from the baseline in the typical reflux symptoms.ResultsThe prevalence of each reflux and dyspeptic symptom did not differ significantly between patients with positive and negative pH tests. After the PPI treatment, epigastric burning, acid regurgitation, heartburn, nausea, vomiting and chest discomfort scores were significantly improved compared to pretreatment values (P < 0.05), whereas postprandial abdominal fullness, early satiation, belching and food regurgitation were not. The proportion of patients who responded to the PPI treatment did not differ significantly between patients with positive and negative pH tests. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of 2-week high dose rabeprazole treatment for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease were 47%, 38%, 50%, 35% and 43%, respectively.ConclusionsThe two-week high dose PPI treatment was not effective for early satiation, postprandial abdominal fullness, regurgitation or belching symptoms in patients with overlapping NERD and FD. Acid exposure in the distal esophagus could not predict the response of symptoms to PPI. In addition, the 2-week PPI test provided limited value for gastroesophageal reflux disease diagnosis in patients with overlapping NERD and FD.

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