The prevalence of asymptomatic gastroesophageal reflux in bronchial asthma and in non-asthmatic individuals.

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is believed to play a pathogenic role in bronchial asthma. The prevalence of asymptomatic GER was studied in 26 patients with intrinsic asthma and 24 matched non-asthmatics without symptoms of reflux. Possible existence of GER was determined through manometry of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), and esophageal pH measurements. The LES pressure was similar in patients without clinical reflux and in controls (16.4 +/- 0.8 and 16.3 +/- 0.7 mm Hg respectively). None of the asymptomatic subjects had spontaneous reflux, but in 9 asthmatics and 9 controls short episodes of reflux were provoked by increased abdominal pressure. The number of episodes and the cumulative duration of these were not statistically different. Therefore, evidence of asymptomatic reflux in our series was found with the same frequency in asthmatics and non-asthmatics. Our results do not support the view that this type of reflux is a primary cause of bronchial asthma.