D. Vincent et al., GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX PREVALENCE AND RELATIONSHIP WITH BRONCHIAL REACTIVITY IN ASTHMA, The European respiratory journal, 10(10), 1997, pp. 2255-2259
The relationship between asthma and gastro-oesophageal reflux (GER) is
controversial, In an allergy department, GER prevalence was evaluated
in asthmatics, with a view to judging the potential influence of GER
on asthma, One hundred and five asthmatics were recruited and co-inves
tigated for GER and lung function, Descriptive analysis was performed,
patients with (GER+) and without (GER-) GER were then compared, and f
inally, stepwise regression analysis was used, GER prevalence was 32%.
Lung parameters did not differ between GER+ and GER-patients, When re
stricting analysis to GER+ patients, bronchial reactivity was closely
correlated to the number of reflux episodes (NRE) (r=0.983; p=0.001),
When comparing patients with more than 15 reflux episodes day(-1) (n=5
0), with those having less (n=43), no differences were found in lung f
unction and GER parameters, However, there was a positive correlation
between the provocative dose of methacholine causing forced expiration
volume to fall 20% from the baseline and NRE in patients with NRE>15
(r=0.561; p=0.05), In conclusion, gastro-oesophageal reflux was observ
ed in a third of the asthma patients studied, These data do not suppor
t a firm aetiological relationship between gastro-oesophageal reflux a
nd asthma, but do suggest an association between the number of reflux
episodes and bronchial hyperresponsiveness.