Study of IPF among patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease

Abstract

ObjectiveTo study the incidence of IPF in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease and to show the correlation between them. BackgroundInterstitial lung diseases are common complication in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease due to repeated aspiration of gastric acid. Patients and methodThe present study was carried out in Chest Department Menoufia University hospital on 50 patients (33 male (66%), 17 female (34%)) diagnosed as having sever GERD according to Los Anglos classification (grade C and D). They were selected from Tropical Department, Menoufia University with no past history of pulmonary diseases, collagen vascular diseases, chronic liver diseases and ascites were enrolled in this study. All the patients were subjected to complete medical history, examination, laboratory investigations, upper gastro-intestinal endoscopy, radiological investigation (plain chest X-ray and chest HRCT) and pulmonary function tests (spirometry and DLCO). ResultsWhen the severity of GERD increased the mean value of percentage of DLCO decrease (patients with GERD grade D had the lowest DLCO mean 75.4±26.8). There was statistically significant negative correlation between the grades of GERD and DLCO. There was a highly statistical significant difference and significant positive correlation as regards grades of GERD in relation to chest HRCT results (p<0.001) (when the grade of GERD increase the degree of fibrosis in chest HRCT increases). ConclusionThe present data support and extend the concept of a high incidence of pulmonary fibrosis in GERD patients even in those patients free of respiratory symptoms.