Gastroesophageal reflux and asthma in childhood: a study on their relationship using esophageal PH monitoring.
OBJECTIVE
This study aims at verifying the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux in asthmatic children, and at determining the sensitivity and specificity of the reflux index for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease.


METHODS
Sixty-nine children, aged 1-5 years, with asthma, were studied by 24-hour pH monitoring. The patients were randomly selected.


RESULTS
Ages varied from 12.4 to 63.1 months, mean age = 30.79 months, and 62.3% were males. Gastroesophageal reflux was observed in 68.1% of the children. The patients were divided into two groups, moderate and severe asthma, and gastroesophageal reflux was diagnosed in 58.5 and 82.1% of the cases, respectively. Occult gastroesophageal reflux occurred in 31.8% of the cases. The reflux index showed an sensitivity of 89.4%, specificity of 95.5%, positive predictive value of 97.7% and negative predictive value of 80.8%.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study indicate a relationship between gastroesophageal reflux and asthma, and suggest that the reflux index as a single parameter of pH monitoring has good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Teixeira
Beatriz C
BC
Departamento de Gastroenterologia Pediatrica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, MG, Brazil. gphbct@hotmail.com
Norton
Rocksane C
RC
Penna
Francisco J
FJ
Camargos
Paulo A
PA
Lasmar
Laura M L B F
LM
Macedo
Antonio V
AV
D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index