Those 10 patients experienced significant improvements in median GERD-HRQL scores from 32 (off PPIs) and 22 (on PPIs) to 9 (on LES-EST) at 3 months, and the scores remained stable at 9 points in 3 patients who were followed for 6 months.
Median esophageal acid exposure improved from 11.8% at baseline to 7.8% at 3 months and 7.3% at 6 months, Dr. Bredenoord said.
The remaining patient suffered a small bowl trocar perforation during implantation of the device and underwent successful repair. An additional 13 adverse events, including 1 serious adverse event, were reported in 4 patients. Nine of these were related to the device or procedure, including seven complaints of pain at the implant site and one case of postoperative nausea.
The treatment was safe, with no GI or cardiac side effects, Dr. Bredenoord concluded, noting that long-term safety and efficacy results in a larger group of patients are currently being analyzed.
In an interview, Dr. Bredenoord noted that the findings are among the first in patients outside South America, where the earliest trials of the EndoStim LES stimulation system were conducted.
"The data confirm the favorable outcome of the patients in Chile, and show that both symptoms and reflux are reduced in European patients as well," he said.
However, the experience remains limited, and additional study comparing the device with other treatments and/or with placebo is needed, as are longer-term outcomes data.
"I think that although these results suggest this is a promising treatment, it would be best to treat patients only in trials" at this point, he said. Because trial participants have been carefully selected, it remains unclear whether this treatment is suitable for the entire GERD population, he added.
Dr. Soffer agreed, and said that if the results are reproduced in additional studies with a larger number of patients, the intervention will provide an alternative therapy for GERD patients who are not satisfied with PPIs or who have concerns about side effects and the chronic use of treatment, and who also have concerns about the established surgical treatment for GERD.
"The importance of this intervention is in providing a bridge between the currently established drug therapy for GERD [PPIs] and the established surgical therapy [fundoplication]. While PPIs are effective in a substantial number of GERD patients, they do not correct the underlying pathophysiology of GERD, resulting in a substantial number of patients who remain symptomatic in spite of therapy," he said.
These patients can be offered fundoplication, which is effective in expert hands, but the surgery has side effects and is performed less and less often, he added.
"Consequently, there is a search for a bridge intervention, endoscopic or surgical, for the treatment of GERD," he said.
LES-EST appears to have the potential to be such a bridge intervention.
"The procedure is simple and nondisruptive, and addresses pathophysiology. The safety profile thus far is excellent, and the effect on esophageal acid exposure, symptoms, and PPI use is sustained over a period of 12-18 moths. Furthermore, the treatment can be optimized to individual needs by adjusting delivery of stimulation to coincide with periods when symptoms and acid reflux are detected," he said.
All three of these studies presented at the meeting were supported by EndoStim BV. Dr. Soffer disclosed that he has stockholder/ownership interest in the company. Dr. Crowell disclosed that he has served as a consultant to the company. Dr. Bredenoord reported receiving grant and/or research support from the company.