| Aim: To evaluate the effect of GERD on pulmonary volumes, airflows and airway resistance in asymptomatic pulmonary GERD patients compared to normal population.
Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is return of gastric content into esophagus and beyond. GERD may play an important role in extra esophageal diseases including chest pain, asthma, laryngitis, chronic cough, and sinusitis. The relation between GERD and airway involvement in asthma and also bronchoconstrictor effects of GERD are well recognized.
Methods: In a case-control study, 78 GERD patients without pulmonary signs and symptoms and 93 healthy subjects without GERD and pulmonary signs and symptoms were enrolled. Airway resistance was evaluated by impulse oscillometry and pulmonary volumes and airflows were measured by body plethysmograph.
Results: The mean age of GERD patients and the healthy subjects were 37.30±9.76 (53.8% male) and 34.74±11.10 (67.7% male), respectively. Plethysmography results were normal in all study population, however, there was a significant difference between groups in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC; P= 0.01) and mid-maximal expiratory flow (MMEF) 75-25% (P=0.008). Airway resistance at 5Hz was significantly higher in the case than the control group (P=0.001).
Conclusion: The results of the current study showed that GERD patients have small airway disease even in the absence of pulmonary symptoms. |