[Gastroesophageal reflux during++ sleep in obese patients]

Evidence of relationship between gastrooesophageal reflux (GER) and obstructive apneas in some near-miss children, led us to investigate its possibility in adults. Our purpose was to look for 1) sleep stages of GER occurrence, and 2) the possible chronological link between sleep apneas and GER. Eight obese patients were investigated. Esophageal pHmetry was carried out on two consecutive nights. On the second night, sleep polygraphy was performed including EEG, EOG, EMG, nasal and buccal flows, thoracic and abdominal motions. Esophageal pHmetry was analyzed between the onset of sleep and the definite waking. Fifteen GER episodes occurred in 4 of the 8 patients. Fourteen of them occurred during wakefulness or transient arousals. Only 1 occurred during REM sleep. Four hundred forty five apneas were recorded in 7 patients. None of the obstructive apneas, or mixed apneas followed or preceded a GER. In 1 patient, 2 central apneas succeeded to GER during REM sleep. We conclude that 1) GER, as in healthy subjects, occurs essentially during wakefulness or transient arousals; 2) in these patients, we did not establish a causal relationship between GER and obstructive apneas nor between apneas and GER.