Prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux in Thai Asthmatic Patients
Nattapong Jaimchariyatam PhD*, Somkiat Wongtim MD*, Visit Udompanich MD*, Chanchai Sittipunt MD*, Kamon Kawkitinarong MD*, Sataporn Chaiyakul MD*, Sutep Gonlachanvit MD**
Affiliation : * Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand ** Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Background : Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of airways and associated with airway hyperresponsiveness and
reversible bronchoconstriction. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a disorder caused by the reflux of gastric content
up into the esophagus. It has been proposed that GERD is one of the exacerbating factors in the patients with poor controlled
asthma.
Objective : Determine the prevalence of GERD in asthmatic patients and the association between GERD and the level of
asthma control in Thailand.
Material and Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 56 asthmatic patients at the King Chulalongkorn
Memorial Hospital. They were performed twenty-four-hour esophageal pH monitoring.
Results : The prevalence of GERD in Thai asthmatic patients was 37.50%. Fifteen of 21 patients (71.43%) with GERD
experienced reflux symptoms. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of reflux
symptoms for diagnosis GERD were 71.43%, 77.14%, 65.22% and 81.82%, respectively. The prevalence of GERD was
higher in uncontrolled asthmatic patients than partly controlled and controlled subjects. Among uncontrolled asthma, the
prevalence of GERD was higher than those without GERD (57.17% and 25.72%, respectively, p = 0.028). Asthma Control
Test (ACT) score of less than twenty (poor controlled asthma) was higher in the asthmatic patients with GERD than those
without GERD (80.95% and 48.57%, respectively, p = 0.024).
Conclusion : The authors concluded that the prevalence of GERD in Thai asthmatic patients was 37.50%. There was
significant association between GERD and the level of asthma control.
Keywords : Asthma, Airway hyperresponsiveness, Gastroesophageal reflux disease
