Współwystępowanie objawów z układu pokarmowego i oddechowego u dzieci z chorobą refluksową przełyku na podstawie obserwacji własnych

Abstract

IntroductionGastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) often occurs in children and characterizes with diverse clinical symptomatology. In small children symptoms mostly occur in digestive tract, but they can also occur as different symptoms in respiratory tract. AimThe evaluation of frequency and types of clinical symptoms from digestive and respiratory tract in children up to 3 years of age with suspicion of GERD. Material and methodsThe study included 285 children (age: 6–36 months) with suspicion of GERD. In every child medical investigation was carried out according to a designed questionnaire, which included the symptoms from digestive and respiratory tract. All children underwent 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. The results were statistically elaborated. ResultsThe that pathological gastroesophageal reflux was detected in 90 patients (31.6%). Among these children, isolated symptoms from respiratory tract were observed in 21.1% while from digestive tract in 30.0% of patients. Symptoms from both systems were more often observed in children with reflux disease (48.9%). The reflux index value in children with GERD showed its highest intensity in patients presenting symptoms from both systems. Conclusions1. Diagnose of GERD in about 1/3 of patients shows the need for its confirmation with pH monitoring before application of anti-reflux therapy. 2. The conducted study showed common coexistence of symptoms from digestive and respiratory tract in children with GERD. 3. The occurrence of symptoms from both systems in children with GERD indicates significantly higher intensity of reflux in pH monitoring record.