Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Subjects with Gastroesophageal Reflux

• Published in: Respiration Vol. 67; no. 5; pp. 507 - 509
• Main Authors: Bagnato, G.F., Gulli, S., Giacobbe, O., De Pasquale, R., Purello D’Ambrosio, F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland Karger 2000; S. Karger AG
• Subjects: Adult; Asthma - diagnosis; Asthma - etiology; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchial Hyperreactivity - diagnosis; Bronchial Hyperreactivity - etiology; Case-Control Studies; Clinical Investigations; Esophagus; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Gastroesophageal Reflux - complications; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Methacholine Chloride; Middle Aged; Other diseases. Semiology; Prevalence; Gastroesophageal reflux; Bronchial hyperresponsiveness; Bronchial asthma; Methacholine, bronchial challenge; Human; Lung function; Hyperreactivity; Pathophysiology; Respiratory disease; Esophageal disease; Bronchus; Digestive diseases; Exploration; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Asthma
• ISSN: 0025-7931; 1423-0356
• DOI: 10.1159/000067464

Background: The relationship between gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and asthma has been widely studied in the last years. GER may interfere with airway reactivity and aggravate or even induce asthma. Objective: To assess the prevalence of bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) in patients with GER disease with a view to judging the potential influence of GER on BHR. Methods: 30 patients with GER disease and no clinical evidence of asthma and 30 normal subjects underwent a methacholine bronchial challenge. The methacholine concentration that caused a 20% fall in the FEV 1 (PC20) was used to assess bronchial responsiveness. Results: In the GER group 11 subjects of the 30 studied showed a PC20 methacholine equal to or less than 8 mg/ml while in the control group only 2 subjects had a PC20 methacholine equal to or less than 8 mg/ml (p < 0.01; ANOVA test). Conclusions: Subjects with GER had a greater increase in airway reactivity when inhaling methacholine compared to disease-free normal subjects.