[Role of surgical treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux in children with severe asthma].

The relationship between gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) and asthma, and the role of treatment of this disorder in severe asthma cases remain ill-defined. Using esophageal pH monitoring, pathological GER was demonstrated in 57 of 139 children with severe asthma. Among these 57 patients medical treatment of GER lessened the respiratory symptoms in 24 and was without effect in 33. In the latter group, asthma was improved in 29 with surgical treatment of the GER, the results being less satisfactory in those patients without GER digestive symptoms. Our results suggest that there is a place for treatment of GER in selected children with severe asthma. Esophageal pH monitoring appears useful to detect pathological GER and to determine which patients may benefit from surgical treatment.