[Gastro-oesophageal reflux--what if physiological? (author's transl)].

Gastro-oesophageal reflux was examined by taped long-term pH monitoring in 31 healthy subjects (16 men, 15 women; average age 28 years). The following was found: (1) reflux during the day is normal in health subjects, occurring predominantly after meals; (2) healthy persons have practically no reflux at night, after reaching the phase of deep sleep, the decisive difference between the healthy subject and those with reflux concerning the sleep phase, during which the patient with reflux has significantly increased reflux; (3) gastro-oesophageal reflux during the night is dependent upon depth of sleep, while position-dependent reflux was not observed.