Which severity level of reflux esophagitis is "abcd"?

Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 03, 2024
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Reflux esophagitis is divided into four grades: ABCD, with grade A being the least severe and grade D being the most severe. Grade D indicates that the esophageal mucosa shows damage and fusion, involving at least 75% of the esophageal circumference. The symptoms of reflux esophagitis mainly include reflux and a burning sensation in the stomach, and some patients may also experience heartburn, nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms. Reflux esophagitis can occur during nighttime sleep in some patients and is caused by the chemical irritation of sensory nerve endings beneath the esophageal epithelium due to acidic or alkaline reflux material.

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Written by Wang Hui Jie
Gastroenterology
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Can reflux esophagitis be cured?

Reflux esophagitis can be cured, however, the recurrence rate of reflux esophagitis is more than 80%, and generally requires maintenance treatment. The treatment principles are acid suppression, enhancing the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter, and protection of the mucosa. Next, let's specifically introduce non-drug treatments. Dietary therapy is very important, mainly involving reasonable dietary intake and good eating habits, which play a significant role in prevention. Another is positional therapy, mainly avoiding lying down immediately after meals, as well as quitting smoking and alcohol, reducing negative pressure, and taking some related medications or undergoing surgical procedures, etc. Generally, a combination of treatments is used to improve efficacy, and the treatment course should not be less than three months.

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Written by Luo Peng
Thoracic Surgery
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Reflux esophagitis is divided into several grades.

Reflux esophagitis can be classified into four grades based on the extent of esophageal mucosal damage: Grade A, B, C, and D. Grade A mainly involves damage to the folds of the esophageal mucosa, generally not exceeding 5 millimeters. Grade B refers to damage greater than 5 millimeters. Grade C indicates that the damage to the esophageal mucosa reaches 75% of the entire circumference of the esophagus; any damage below 75% falls into Grade C. Grade D, on the other hand, is quite severe, with extensive damage around the entire circumference of the esophagus, mainly divided into these four grades.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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What are the symptoms of reflux esophagitis?

The main symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease include upper abdominal pain, chest pain, belching, acid reflux, nausea, and vomiting. A gastroscopy can reveal lesions on the esophageal mucosa, and if such damage is observed, a diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease can be made. The severity of the lesions on the esophageal mucosa can be classified into four grades: A, B, C, and D, with grade A being the mildest and grade D the most severe. Treatment primarily involves acid suppression, promoting gastric motility, and repairing the mucosa. The treatment course usually lasts about six to eight weeks. Moreover, gastroesophageal reflux disease is closely related to poor gastric motility, so regular exercise is recommended. Exercise can enhance gastric motility and promote intestinal peristalsis, which plays a positive role in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
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Is reflux esophagitis serious in lab results?

Reflux esophagitis of grade LA B is not very severe, indicating one or more esophageal mucosal injuries, approximately five millimeters in length, but without confluence lesions. Patients with reflux esophagitis should take medication regularly, must undergo periodic gastroscopy, and the selection of specific medications and their dosage should be under the guidance of a doctor. Commonly, proton pump inhibitors can be used to suppress gastric acid secretion, and medications like aluminum hydroxide magnesium carbonate can be used to protect the gastric and esophageal mucosa. Additionally, drugs like mosapride and itopride can be used to promote esophageal motility, as well as gastric motility.

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Written by Luo Peng
Thoracic Surgery
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Reflux esophagitis is caused by what?

There are many causes of reflux esophagitis. The main issue is due to the acidic digestive fluids from the stomach entering the esophagus. The primary cause of this is problems with the pressure of the lower esophageal sphincter, commonly referred to by doctors as the LES. Additionally, increased abdominal pressure or some gastrointestinal issues can also lead to reflux esophagitis.