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Published on: December 14, 2020

Association of asthma with gastroesophageal reflux disease in children

Mustafa Ay1, Ercan Sivasli, Ziya Bayraktaroglu

  • 1Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey.

Journal of the Chinese Medical Association : JCMA
|May 19, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is common in pediatric asthma patients, affecting 75%. Evaluating asthma patients for GERD is recommended, even without typical GERD symptoms, to understand its role in asthma development.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Pulmonology
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a condition where stomach acid frequently flows back into the esophagus.
  • Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by inflammation and narrowing of the airways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and asthma in pediatric patients.
  • To determine the prevalence of GERD in children diagnosed with bronchial asthma.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 36 pediatric patients diagnosed with bronchial asthma was studied.
  • Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) was diagnosed using 24-hour pH monitoring.
  • Patient data included demographics and reflux patterns in supine and upright positions.

Main Results:

  • Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) was detected in 75% of the pediatric asthma patients (27 out of 36).
  • GER occurred more frequently in the upright position compared to the supine position (p < 0.05).
  • The duration of GER was longer in the supine position than in the upright position (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

  • The findings suggest a substantial link between GERD and the pathogenesis or symptoms of asthma in children.
  • Pediatric patients with asthma should be screened for GERD, irrespective of the presence of GERD-related symptoms.
  • Early evaluation for GERD may aid in managing pediatric asthma.
Abstract

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