Assessment of respiratory symptoms with dual pH monitoring in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
BACKGROUND
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a commonly underestimated aetiological factor in patients with respiratory symptoms. In this study, acid reflux in healthy volunteers and patients with GORD with and without respiratory symptoms was investigated by dual pH monitoring.


METHODS
Thirty healthy volunteers and 43 patients with GORD underwent oesophageal manometry and dual pH monitoring with one probe in the proximal and one in the distal oesophagus. Nineteen of the 43 patients complained of respiratory symptoms.


RESULTS
There were no differences in proximal probe measurements between volunteers and patients without respiratory symptoms. Patients with GORD and respiratory symptoms had a higher prevalence of abnormally high exposure to gastric juice and more reflux episodes in the proximal oesophagus compared with patients with GORD and no respiratory symptoms. Some 17 of 19 patients with GORD and respiratory symptoms showed deteriorated oesophageal body motility.


CONCLUSIONS
Dual pH monitoring is feasible and well tolerated, and provides an objective means of evaluating patients with GORD and respiratory symptoms. Prolonged exposure of the proximal oesophagus to gastric juice and disorders of oesophageal body motility seem to be responsible for the development of respiratory symptoms.
Kauer
W K H
WK
Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany. kauer@ach.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Stein
H J
HJ
Möbius
C
C
Siewert
J R
JR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D012120:Respiration Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology