Lack of significant proximal esophageal acid reflux in infants presenting with respiratory symptoms.
The effects of proximal esophageal acid reflux on upper and lower respiratory tract symptoms in infants with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) remain controversial. We studied 116 infants with either respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms to determine whether acid reflux in the proximal esophagus plays an etiologic role in the elicitation of respiratory symptoms in comparison to causing gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms only. Sixty-two infants (age range, 1-12 months) with respiratory symptoms suggestive of GER and 54 infants with gastrointestinal symptoms only (age range, 1-10 months) were evaluated with dual level esophageal pH monitoring. Mean duration of dual-level pH monitoring in infants with respiratory symptoms was 20.4 h, and in those with GI symptoms was 20.7 h. Seventeen of 54 infants with GI symptoms only and 16 of 63 infants with respiratory symptoms had abnormal distal esophageal acid reflux indices (i.e., pH <4.0 for >5% of the duration of study). In infants with abnormal distal pH monitoring, the median proximal acid reflux index in the GI group was 4.0% in comparison to 0.95% in the respiratory group (P < 0.01 by Wilcoxon rank sum W test). Values for other reflux parameters were also higher in the GI than in the respiratory group. We conclude that reflux-associated respiratory symptoms are more likely due to mechanisms other than the mere presence of refluxed acid in the proximal esophagus.
Vijayaratnam
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Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital of Michigan, Detroit 48201, USA.
Lin
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CH
Simpson
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Tolia
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D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012135:Respiratory Sounds; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology