title: Pharmacotherapy of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in children: focus on safety.
abstract: Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) disease is very common and, in the majority of infants, is physiological. However, untreated GOR disease in infants and children is associated with a decrease in quality of life for the child and their parents. It may also cause sometimes more severe complications, such as oesophagitis, and causing, in rare cases, failure to thrive, oesophageal stricture, apnoea and even death. Every therapeutic intervention (non-drug treatment, medical treatment and surgery) is associated with morbidity and even mortality. Moreover, efficacy data of many medications in children are non-existing, limited or disappointing. The safety profile of cisapride is comparable to that of other therapeutic interventions or to the risk of non-treatment. Therefore, the therapeutic approach of GOR disease in infants and children needs to be well-balanced, considering therapeutic efficacy and side effects. This review will focus on the side effects of the different therapeutic options.
authors.affiliation: Academisch Ziekenhuis, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium. yvan.vandenplas@az.vub.ac.be
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vandenplas
authors.forename: Hegar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Badriul
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salvatore
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hauser
mesh_terms: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D020117:Cisapride / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016684:Prone Position; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D011788:Quality of Life; D012449:Safety
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D020117:Cisapride