The Connection Between Anxiety and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Posted on by

Why is it that reflux is so much worse during periods of anxiety and depression?

A recent prospective study (Kessing BF et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2015; 13: 1089-1095) of 225 consecutive patients with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) looks into this issue.  All patients underwent ambulatory 24-hour pH-impedance (pH-MII) monitoring and had assessment of anxiety/depression with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

GERD was defined by having pathologic acid exposure time and/or positive temporal correlation between the occurrence of symptoms ad reflux episodes. Hypersensitivity to reflux was considered if there was physiologic acid exposure times while having temporal association between reflux episodes and symptoms.  Functional heartburn indicated the presence of symptoms with a normal pH-MII.

Key findings:

  • 147 patients had GERD and 78 had functional heartburn; 36 patients were considered hypersensitive to gastroesophageal reflux.
  • Among patients with GERD (including patients with hypersensitivity), increased anxiety/depression levels were associated with more severe retrosternal pain/burning. However, anxiety/depression were NOT associated with an increased number of reflux episodes or number of symptoms reported on pH-MII.
  • Patients with functional heartburn had higher levels of anxiety than patients with GERD.

Bottomline: Anxiety is associated with increased GERD symptoms.  In addition, anxiety is more prevalent in patients with functional heartburn.

Briefly noted: Review (Lipa S, et al. Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol 2015; 13: 1058-67) of 4 trials with 153 analyzed patients:  “Stretta [radiofrequency ablation] for patient with GERD does not produce significant changes, compared with sham therapy, in physiologic parameters, including time spent at pH less than 4, LESP, ability to stop PPIs, or HRQOL.”.

Related blog posts:

Cumberland Island

Cumberland Island