A Systematic Review of Clinical Guidelines for the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Abstract

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition among adults and children. The estimated prevalence ranges from 8 to 33%, and the numbers are only expected to increase over time. Heartburn and regurgitation are considered classic symptoms of the disease, but it can also present with a variety of atypical, extra-esophageal manifestations, which reduces patients’ quality of life and leads to Under-Diagnosis. Treatment in adults involves a combination of lifestyle modification with pharmacologic, endoscopic, or surgical interventions. Scientific societies from Europe, America, Asia-Pacific, South America, and Central Asia have proposed guidelines based on current understanding of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The review article presents an analysis of treatment regimens from ten different world guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of GERD, which revealed in most cases similar algorithms of patient management. Some differences in medication approaches are revealed, which is probably due to the different level of health care in each country. Differences in lifestyle modification were considered in the sphere of identified new scenarios of GERD pathogenesis.