Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in asthma patients at Srinagarind Hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in asthma patients at Srinagarind Hospital and compare them with a non-asthmatic control group.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

A prospective study consisted of 151 asthma patients at the outpatient asthma clinic Srinagarind Hospital and 147 non-asthmatic patients as the control group. The study group and the control group were interviewed with questionnaire.

RESULTS

Among the asthmatics, 26.5%, 30.5% and 12.6% experienced heartburn, regurgitation and both symptoms, respectively. While in the control group, 15.6%, 26.5% and 10.2% experienced heartburn, regurgitation and both symptoms.

CONCLUSION

The present study showed the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in asthmatic Thai patients and the control group to be 57% and 42.1%. Asthmatic patients had a greater prevalence than the control group but there was no statistically significant difference.