title: [Variations of nasopharyngeal pH in nasopharyngitis in children].
abstract: In view of the well-known relationship between gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) and inflammatory diseases of the bronchi, trachea and larynx, the possibility of a pathogenic acid reflux reaching the pharynx has sometimes been suspected but never demonstrated. Paediatric E.N.T. specialists are often confronted with chronic inflammatory rhinopharyngitis of no obvious origin. In order to test the hypothesis of rhinopharyngeal contamination by gastric acid, the nycthemeral local pH was recorded in children presenting with chronic rhinopharyngitis and gastro-oesophageal reflux, and in two groups of controls without rhinopharyngitis and with or without GOR. Falls in rhinopharyngeal pH were found to be more frequent and to last longer in the 18 patients than in controls. The most significant criterion was the time during which the pH was lower than 6 compared with the total time of recording in these cases where pharyngeal pH measurements were recorded over 15 to 26 hours. It seemed most probable that this acidity resulted from the gastro-oesophageal reflux. Such variations in acid-base balance at the surface of a respiratory mucosa might be instrumental in the genesis or maintenance of the nasopharyngeal inflammatory reaction. However, these two hypotheses must be confirmed or infirmed by further studies.
authors.affiliation: Service ORL, Hôpital Robert-Debré, Paris.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Contencin
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viala
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Narcy
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D009304:Nasopharyngitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012016:Reference Values
vernacular_title: Variations du pH rhinopharyngé dans les rhinopharyngites de l'enfant.