[Clinical symptoms of pathological gastroesophageal reflux in infants and children under 6 years of age].
Many gastrointestinal, respiratory and general symptoms are connected with pathological gastroesophageal reflux (pGER) in infants and small children.


OBJECTIVE
To assess gastrointestinal, respiratory and general symptoms in infants and children under 6 years of age with pGER depending on age and severity of reflux.


METHODS
The analysis comprised a group of 143 children aged from 1 to 72 months (68 girls, 75 boys), diagnosed in the Clinic with the suspicion of pGER. There were two age-groups: A: 1-18 months (64 children) and B: 19-72 months (79 children). 24-hour esophageal pH-metry was performed and gastrointestinal, respiratory and general symptoms were assessed in all children. Children with normal pH-metry (without pGER) were in a control group.


RESULTS
pGER was diagnosed in 44 (68.72%) children from group A and in 58 (73.42%) from group B. Regurgitation, vomiting, and anorexia were the most common gastrointestinal symptoms in group A, abdominal pain, vomiting, belching and anorexia--in group B. Predominant respiratory symptoms in group A were: dry cough, some respiratory disturbances, and in group B--dry cough, hoarseness, recurrent bronchitis (the difference was without statistical significance in comparison to control subgroup). Anxiety was a frequent general symptom in group A and salivation, dental erosions in group B. Regurgitation and anemia were more frequent in younger children, anorexia, belching, hoarseness, recurrent laryngitis and bronchitis--in children from some subgroups of group B. Malnutrition was diagnosed significantly more frequent in children from group B with severe reflux.


CONCLUSIONS
pGER is a common abnormality in children under 6 years of age. Anorexia was a statistically significant gastrointestinal symptom. Respiratory symptoms were not statistically significant signs of pGER. Anxiety was a significant general symptom in children aged from 1 to 18 months. The number of malnutritioned children increased with the severity of reflux in older children (under 6 years of life).
Kosmowska
Agnieszka
A
Akademia Medyczna we Wrocławiu, II Katedra i Klinika Pediatrii, Gastroenterologii i Zywienia. nzjgaspe@ak.am.wroc.pl
D000855:Anorexia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D050782:Esophageal pH Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors