[Pathologic gastroesophageal reflux in patients with bronchial asthma]

Gastrooesophageal reflux (GER) and asthma bronchiale are frequent diseases. Asthma affects some 3-10% of adults. Gastrooesophageal reflux is present in some 45-89% asthmatic patients. Symptoms of GER are not only gastrooesophageal, and recently increased attention is focused on extraoesophageal symptoms where in particular the relationship of GER and asthma or chronic cough is investigated. At our clinic we implemented a pilot study with the objective to monitor the presence of pathological GER in patients with asthma and to assess whether antireflux therapy will influence the respiratory complaints of the patients. The group was formed by 14 patients selected at random with different severity of asthma and different symptoms of GER. The patients had a baseline examination evaluating the presence of GER (24-hour pH metry) and pulmonary function (FEV1). In case of a pathological GER the patients were treated by antireflux therapy and then check-up examinations were made. It was found that after treatment of GER in patients with asthma in particular subjective symptoms improved such as cough and pyrosis which leads to a substantial improvement of the quality of life. On the other hand reflux treatment did not exert a basic effect on pulmonary functions and it was not possible to reduce the medication of asthma.