title: [Polysomnographic abnormalities in infants with gastroesophageal reflux].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Infant apnea is a common problem that conveys significant burden to families and physicians. Its temporal relationship with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is controversial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To establish whether infants with GER of different magnitude have a higher incidence of respiratory events than children without GER.
  
  
  METHODS
  146 consecutive patients were evaluated with polisomnography (PSG) and with an esophageal pH probe. Those infants without GER episodes or with an esophageal pH below 4.0 in less than 5% of total sleep time were considered as physiologic GER (Group I), between 5-10% as mild GER (Group II), and over 10% as severe GER (Group III). These groups were evaluated for demographic and polysomnographic characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in the demographic and global PSG characteristics neither in oxymetry, heart rate or electroencephalographic abnormalities. Group III infants had a higher percentage of active sleep compared to infants of Group I (p < 0.05) and higher incidence of central pauses and apneas compared to infants of Group I (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of severe GER may modify the sleep pattern in infants, increasing the percentage of active sleep. The presence of central pauses and apneas in infants with severe GER suggest an association between the inmaturity of the respiratory centers and the adaptation of the anti-reflux mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Secciones de Gastroenterología, Neurología y Respiratorio, Departamento de Pediatría, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. pharris@med.puc.cl
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brockmann
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Sebastián
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mobarec
authors.forename: Tomás
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mesa
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D001049:Apnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D017286:Polysomnography; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*