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Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux and Apnoea: Is There a Temporal Relationship?

Thomas Rossor1, Gwendolyn Andradi, Kamal Ali

  • 1MRC-Asthma UK Centre in Allergic Mechanisms of Asthma, King's College London, London, UK.

Neonatology
|December 21, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) does not appear to cause apnoea in infants. Studies found no increased apnoea frequency after reflux events, suggesting no causal link between GOR and infant apnoea.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal physiology
  • Pediatric gastroenterology
  • Respiratory control in infants

Background:

  • Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) and apnoea are common infant conditions.
  • A causal relationship between GOR and apnoea remains controversial in scientific literature.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the temporal relationship between GOR and apnoea in infants.
  • To determine if obstructive apnoea frequency correlates with GOR episodes.
  • To assess the correlation between GOR and apnoea frequency, accounting for infant maturity.

Main Methods:

  • Polysomnography and pH/multichannel intraluminal impedance (MII) studies were conducted.
  • Apnoeas were categorized as central, obstructive, or mixed.
  • Reflux events were classified as acidic or weakly acidic; apnoea frequency post-reflux was compared to control periods.

Main Results:

  • Forty infants were assessed; numerous obstructive, central, and mixed apnoeas were identified.
  • Apnoeas were not found to be more frequent following GOR events.
  • Both apnoea and GOR frequencies decreased with increasing post-conceptional age but were not significantly correlated.

Conclusions:

  • The study suggests that gastro-oesophageal reflux does not cause apnoea in infants.
  • Findings indicate no direct causal link, challenging previous hypotheses.
  • Further research may explore other contributing factors to infant apnoea.
Abstract

Keywords:
ApnoeaGastro-oesophageal refluxMultichannel intraluminal impedancepH

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