Esophageal functional phenotypes in refractory GERD-related chronic cough

Extract Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has been increasingly recognized as a cause of chronic cough (CC) in Japan 1. While proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are commonly prescribed to diagnose and treat GERD-associated chronic cough (GERC), some patients exhibit refractory responses to some specific treatments 1. Emerging evidence indicates that the pathogenesis of refractory-GERC (R-GERC) is significantly affected by non-acid reflux, esophageal mucosal injury, and esophageal dysmotility 2, 3. However, the relationship between esophageal functional characteristics and cough-related outcomes in patients with R-GERC remains poorly comprehended.