Bile acids and trypsin are unimportant in alkaline esophageal reflux

We recorded esophageal alkaline exposure time (AET) in 52 patients with gastroesophageal reflux and in 20 control subjects to determine whether esophageal pH monitoring can measure reflux of bile acids and trypsin from the duodenum. Patients underwent a further 16-h study (divided into 2-h periods) in which AET was correlated with bile acid and trypsin concentrations in esophageal aspirates. Patients had greater nocturnal AET than controls (22.7 versus 0.9%, p = 0.005). Patients with a stricture had a greater AET than patients with erosive esophagitis (25.2 versus 13%, p less than 0.05). There was no relationship between esophageal bile acid concentrations and AET, and total bile acid concentrations were similar regardless of whether a 2-h period contained alkaline episodes. Esophageal bile acid concentrations were no different, in patients with a normal esophagus, esophagitis, stricture, or Barrett's esophagus. Trypsin was found in only 5% of aspirates, and could not be predicted by AET. We conclude that measurement of AET is not useful in the clinical evaluation of duodeno-esophageal bile reflux, and bile acids and trypsin are not important in the pathogenesis of reflux esophagitis.