[pH-Testing - experience in clinical practice in a pulmonary division].
The association between lung disease and gastroesophageal reflux has been discussed for a long time. Aim of this retrospective study was to clarify evidence and acceptance of pH-testing in a pulmonary division.


METHODS
pH-testing data at the Krankenhaus Grosshansdorf from January 2000 till March 2004 was evaluated and clinical and pulmonary functional data assessed.


RESULTS
A total of 186 patients (113 female, 73 male) received a pH-monitoring. The most important indication was chronic cough (94.6 %). Of 165 evaluable subjects, 63 patients had asthma, 54 patients chronic cough, 18 COPD and 30 patients various diseases (fibrosis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, bronchiectasis a. s. o.). 51 % of patients showed a pathological gastroesophageal reflux (median DeMeester score 22.3). Neither BMI nor patient subgroups correlated significantly with DeMeester score. In 62 % of asthmatics, 57 % of patients with chronic cough and 33 % of COPD patients a pathological reflux was found. In the subgroup with various diseases there was pathological reflux detected in 30 %.


CONCLUSIONS
pH-testing is a reliable and safe method to determine gastroesophageal reflux in pulmonary diseases. Pathological reflux is frequently found even without typical symptoms. It remains unclear whether there is a causal relationship.
Oldigs
M
M
Krankenhaus Grosshansdorf, Zentrum für Pneumologie und Thoraxchirurgie, Grosshansdorf. m.oldigs@kh-grosshansdorf.de
D001249:Asthma / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003371:Cough / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies