 |
|
Test for esophageal reflux licensed to Bayer by Wake Forest University Health Sciences
July 18, 2006Winston-Salem, N.C. -- A new test for esophageal reflux disease developed by a Wake Forest University Health Sciences (WFUHS) otolaryngologist has been licensed to Bayer HealthCare's Diagnostics Division by WFUHS.
The test, which detects the presence of human pepsin 3b in a patient's saliva, was developed by Jamie Koufman, M.D., then professor of otolaryngology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and director of WFUHS's Center for Voice Disorders. She is now director of the Voice Institute of New York.
The test potentially could be used in the offices of primary care physicians and avoid the need for more elaborate and expensive tests. Bayer will market the test.
"Most people associate heartburn with excess stomach acid, but it is the digestive enzyme pepsin (and not acid) bathing the lower area of the esophagus that causes the damage," said Koufman. "For patients with severe esophagitis, the tissue in the esophagus is literally being self-digested."
"Besides helping to diagnose gastroesophageal reflux disease, or 'GERD,' detecting pepsin in saliva also should help diagnose laryngopharyngeal reflux disease, the backflow of stomach contents into the throat," she said. "Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease is even more difficult to diagnose than GERD. Scientific evidence points to aerosolized pepsin being drawn into the respiratory system as a common culprit of chronic cough, asthma, and even sinusitis."
Dean Stell, associate director of the Office of Technology Asset Management, said, "Bayer is a world leader in point-of-care diagnostics and is well qualified to handle the next stage of development. That is the essence of technology transfer - working with our industrial counterparts who can develop technology in ways that we cannot."
Stell added that the licensing step was "a milestone following 25 years of research, and lots of hard work by Dr. Koufman and the people on her team."
Since 1981, Koufman has done pioneering research in gastric reflux, particularly that which affects the voice and breathing passages. She coined the term "laryngopharyngeal reflux" to describe the backflow of gastric contents into the throat.
Koufman said laryngopharyngeal reflux remains under-diagnosed and under-treated. "It is a frequent cause of hoarseness, a sensation of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing, choking episodes, and respiratory symptoms. It is sometimes difficult to diagnose because it is often silent, occurring without symptoms or heartburn."
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
"Most people associate heartburn with excess stomach acid, but it is the digestive enzyme pepsin (and not acid) bathing the lower area of the esophagus that causes the damage," said Koufman. "For patients with severe esophagitis, the tissue in the esophagus is literally being self-digested."
"Besides helping to diagnose gastroesophageal reflux disease, or 'GERD,' detecting pepsin in saliva also should help diagnose laryngopharyngeal reflux disease, the backflow of stomach contents into the throat," she said. "Laryngopharyngeal reflux disease is even more difficult to diagnose than GERD. Scientific evidence points to aerosolized pepsin being drawn into the respiratory system as a common culprit of chronic cough, asthma, and even sinusitis."
Dean Stell, associate director of the Office of Technology Asset Management, said, "Bayer is a world leader in point-of-care diagnostics and is well qualified to handle the next stage of development. That is the essence of technology transfer - working with our industrial counterparts who can develop technology in ways that we cannot."
Stell added that the licensing step was "a milestone following 25 years of research, and lots of hard work by Dr. Koufman and the people on her team."
Since 1981, Koufman has done pioneering research in gastric reflux, particularly that which affects the voice and breathing passages. She coined the term "laryngopharyngeal reflux" to describe the backflow of gastric contents into the throat.
Koufman said laryngopharyngeal reflux remains under-diagnosed and under-treated. "It is a frequent cause of hoarseness, a sensation of a lump in the throat, difficulty swallowing, choking episodes, and respiratory symptoms. It is sometimes difficult to diagnose because it is often silent, occurring without symptoms or heartburn."
Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center
Science News and Science Current Events Tag Cloud
This tag cloud is a visual representation of term frequencies of random science news topics with common terms grouped together and emphasized by their display size.
Carotid endarterectomy Anxiety Marriage Bone Loss Marijuana Infection Omega-3 Fatty Acids Probiotics Language Development Glaciers Vaccination Nausea Naltrexone Prion Chemotherapy Large Hadron Collider Earthquake Relationships Hydrothermal Vent Sea Level Aggressive Behavior Nanowire Hydrocortisone Child Care Influenza
See More: Science News Tags
University of Saskatchewan and Canadian Synchrotron researchers shed light on esophageal disease
Canadian Light Source (CLS) staff scientist Luca Quaroni and Dr. Alan Casson, Head of the Department of Surgery at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) used the synchrotron's infrared microscope to identify tissue afflicted with a condition known as Barrett's Esophagus from chemical fingerprints associated with the disease, which can lead to esophageal cancer.
Researchers discover correlation between GERD and obesity in females
A group of scientists recently discovered an association between being overweightand a disease called gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) in women.
Doctors, engineers develop new wireless system
UT Southwestern Medical Center doctors and UT Arlington engineers have developed a wireless monitoring system that uses electrical impulses to track esophageal reflux.
Study Demonstrates Long-Term Durability of Plicator Procedure
Patients treated for gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) using the endoscopic Plicator procedure show long-term benefits in reducing reflux disease symptoms with no need for long-term prescription antacids, according to a study led by doctors at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC).
Acid suppression medication linked with increased risk of hip fracture
Use of the drugs proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for the treatment of acid-related diseases such as gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) is associated with a greater risk of hip fracture.
More Esophageal Reflux Current Events and Esophageal Reflux News Articles
 |
100 Q&A About Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD): A Lahey Clinic Guide (100 Questions & Answers about) by David L. Burns (Author) More than 25 million Americans suffer from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Whether you've recently been diagnosed with GERD, want to gain a better understanding of GERD, or know someone who suffers from the condition, this book offers help. Written by two expert physicians in the field, this is the only text to provide both patient and doctor perspectives. 100 Questions & Answers About Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Lahey Clinic Guide offers invaluable, authoritative, practical answers to 100 of the most common questions about GERD, including information on symptoms, seeking medical attention, testing and diagnosis, medications, possible related complications, links to other conditions, surgery, and much more. |
 |
Dealing with Acid Reflux · Acid reflux 101: Everything you need to know about your anatomy and what causes acid reflux (pages 6-13) · The four main conditions and diseases caused by chronic acid reflux and how to manage or cure all of them (pages 13-21) · How to diagnosis and treat children and infants with GERD (pages 21-24) · How to tell if you’re suffering from “erosive esophagitis” (erosion of the esophagus) … and what to do immediately if you are (pages 23-25) · Exactly what changes to make in your diet to prevent GERD (pages 37-38) · What your options are to treat acid reflux with drugs along with their effectiveness and side effects (pages 39-49) · What you should know if you’re even considering surgical treatment for your acid reflux (pages 50-56) · The two biggest... |
 |
Problems of the Esophagus: GERD and Barrett's Esophagus Studies suggest that more than 15 million Americans suffer from heartburn everyday and spend millions of dollars in search of relief from this condition. Dr Lauren Gerson discusses heartburn and other problems of the esophagus, including Barrett's Esophagus, in this talk. She focuses on the causes and some of the solutions for these problems as indicated by the latest research, including studies conducted at Stanford. |
 |
Heartburn / Acid Reflux Formula (4oz - 120ml) Naturopath/MD-Formulated, Clinically Proven, Safe and Effective! by Organic Essentials For Life Each bottle contains 4 ounces of concentrated medicinal formula that lasts 8 days. Although patients typically see results fairly quickly on this formula, however, due to the fact that NO isolated pharmaceutical chemicals of any nature have been incorporated in this formula (or any of Dr. Claude Matars), it may take 4-12 bottles, or 1-3 months, for the full course of treatment to be completed---- This formula is exclusive! It is safe and exceptionally effective as it contains the strongest available herbal extracts in the USA (3-5 times more potent than commercial tinctures)---All of Dr. Claude Matars formulas are the result of clinical research on real patients and have been hand-produced without the use of heat by the time-tested cold maceration process---Beware that commercial herbal... |
 |
Barrett's Esophagus a Multistage Model of Human Carcinogenesis (NCME Video 669) Also With: Network For Continuing Medical Education (Primary Contributor), Douglas S. Levine (Primary Contributor) The past two decades have seen a dramatic rise in the incidence of esophageal adenocarcinomas. The precursor of such cancers appears to be Barrett's esophagus, a complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux. Dr. Levine performs endoscopic biopsy surveillance to diagnose this condition and demonstrates the latest techniques for measuring proliferative and genomic abnormalities. |
 |
GERD: Reflux to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma by Parakrama T. Chandrasoma (Author), Tom R. DeMeester (Author) The increasing incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has created an enormous interest and stimulus for research in this area. GERD brings together, for the first time, a vast amount of disparate literature and documents the entire pathogenesis of reflux disease in one place. The book presents reflux carditis as a new diagnostic criterion of GERD and for the first time defines the dilated end-stage esophagus and the earliest microscopic phase of GERD that is missed by present diagnostic criteria. GERD presents both clinical and pathological information and is meant to be used as a comprehensive reference for gastroenterologists, esophageal surgeons, and pathologists alike. *Outlines how gastroesophageal reflux causes cellular changes in the... |
|
Extra Esophageal Reflux by Michael Vaezi (Author) Extraesophageal Reflux Disease represents a group of syndromes in which patients present with symptoms not typical for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), such as: Cough, Asthma, Laryngitis, Globus, Dysphagia and even sinusitis and possibly otitis. This unique book has compiled commentaries by experts in each of the fields of gastroenterology, allergy, otolaryngology, surgery and pulmonology in order to best understand the current clinical challenges in this field and to help all subspecialties which interact with this group of patients. It will outline diagnostic and management strategies for each of the above symptoms so that we call all better care for this group of difficult to diagnose patients. | |
 |
Acid Reflux Remedy Report by Barton Publishing, Inc. Are you an acid reflux sufferer? If you're tired of burning a hole through your esophagus, choking on stomach acid, propping your head up on thirteen pillows to sleep... all because of your painful heartburn and acid reflux, then this will be the most important message you ever read! I was in your shoes, not too long ago. And I've found a cure that can help you, and I want you to know about it, because... I NO LONGER SUFFER from Acid Reflux, Heartburn, Hiatal Hernia, Gastritis, Esophageal Reflux, or Bile Reflux! (Yes, I've suffered from them all...) For more information and special savings visit: www.RefluxRemedy.com |
|
Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Therapy by Donald Castell (Editor) | |
 |
GERD: Reflux to Esophageal Adenocarcinoma by Elsevier Science The increasing incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma has created an enormous interest and stimulus for research in this area. GERD brings together, for the first time, a vast amount of disparate literature and documents the entire pathogenesis of reflux disease in one place. The book presents reflux carditis as a new diagnostic criterion of GERD and for the first time defines the dilated end-stage esophagus and the earliest microscopic phase of GERD that is missed by present diagnostic criteria. GERD presents both clinical and pathological information and is meant to be used as a comprehensive reference for gastroenterologists, esophageal surgeons, and pathologists alike. *Outlines how gastroesophageal reflux causes cellular changes in the... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |