Table 7.
Clinical effectiveness at 12 months stratified into three groups depending on the anatomic characteristics of TIF valves defined by Hill grade and adherencea
| Parameter | Hill grade I tight (n = 21) | Hill grade II moderate (n = 21) | Hill grade III/IV loose (n = 14) | p* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GERD-HRQL scores—improved by ≥ 50% | 18 (86%) | 17 (81%) | 11 (79%) | 0.330 |
| Heartburn—eliminated | 19 (90%) | 17 (81%) | 10 (71%) | 0.122 |
| PPI use—none | 17 (81%) | 18 (86%) | 7 (50%) | 0.091 |
| Esophageal pH—normalized | 48% | 25% | 33% | 0.014 |
| Hiatal hernia | ||||
| None post-TIF | 18 (86%) | 14 (67%) | 5 (36%) | 0.002 |
| None pre-TIF | 12 (56%) | 7 (33%) | 4 (29%) | 0.014 |
| Reduced | 8/9 (89%) | 10/14 (71%) | 3/10 (30%) | 0.250 |
| Eliminated | 7/9 (78%) | 7/14 (50%) | 3/10 (30%) | 0.290 |
| Esophagitis | ||||
| None post-TIF | 15 (71%) | 9 (43%) | 5 (36%) | 0.001 |
| None pre-TIF | 3 (14%) | 2 (10%) | 3 (21%) | 0.400 |
| Reducedb | 12/15 (80%) | 14/19 (74%) | 4/11 (36%) | 0.010 |
| Eliminatedb | 9/15 (60%) | 7/19 (37%) | 3/11 (27%) | 0.002 |
| Cardia circumference (mm) | ||||
| Post-TIF | 32.8 | 37.5 | 40.4 | 0.001 |
| Pre-TIF | 43.3 | 46.8 | 41.3 | 0.050 |
| Normalizedc | 9/16 (56%) | 4/12 (33%) | 1/12 (8%) | 0.040 |
aValves not fitting into either category were excluded from stratification
bPatients taking PPIs were excluded
cNormalized cardia circumference if < 34.3 mm [41]
* The p values for among-group comparisons reflect the exact global test (Spearman’s rank correlation) for the trend of lower Hill grade associated with better outcome