Gastroesophageal Reflux Symptoms in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

BACKGROUND: It is known that there is some relation between airways obstruction and gastroesophageal reflux symptoms (GER) symptoms in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).AIM: The aim was to determine frequency of GER symptoms and correlation with pulmonary function tests in patients with COPD.MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 58 patients. First group had 20 patients with mild COPD, second group had 18 patients with moderate COPD and third group had 20 patients with severe COPD. We had also a control group with 12 healthy subjects. All subjects completed their self-reported questionnaire about symptoms like: acid-regurgitation, heartburn, dysphagia, dyspnea and chronic cough.RESULTS: COPD patients with airways obstruction and significant GER symptoms had their respiratory symptoms associated with reflux events. More of COPD patients had significant GER symptoms defined as regurgitation and dysphagia once or more per week. Patients with FEV1 less than 50% showed more prevalent GER symptoms compared to those with values of FEV1 grater then 50%.CONCLUSION: GER symptoms are more prevalent in patients with severe airways obstruction when compared to less airways obstructed group and controls. We could suggest an association between the degree of airways obstruction in patients with COPD and the increased rate of GER symptoms.