Peculiarities and pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease in patients with endemic goiter Associated with iodine deficiency

Our study involved 40 patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with co-existing nodular (12 patients) and diffuse (28 patients) endemic goiter of I-II degrees secondary to iodine deficiency and 20 patients with GERD without functional and structural changes of thyroid gland and normal urinary iodine levels. Diffuse endemic goiter in the subclinical form with co-existing GERD was diagnosed in 57.14% of patients, and manifest goiter was diagnosed in 42.86% of patients. Nodular endemic goiter with co-existing GERD was diagnosed in euthyroid form. Patients suffering from GERD with co-existing diffuse goiter developed extraesophageal syndromes more often than patients with GERD only. When using 13C-octanoic breath test deceleration of the motor-evacuation activities of the stomach and increased number of alkaline reflux episodes at intervals from 8.0-8.99 to 7.0-7.99. were observed in 22 patients suffering from GERD with co-existing diffuse goiter. Frequency of acid reflux at the pH interval 1.0-1.99 increased in patients suffering from GERD with co-existing nodular goiter. ?