Association of gastroesophageal reflux (GER) with bronchial asthma.

Eighty children with bronchial asthma and ten control cases underwent radionuclide gastroesophagography for the detection of gastroesophageal reflux. Thirty nine per cent asthmatic children demonstrated esophageal reflux on scintiscanning. The ten control subjects had no reflux. The presence of reflux correlated strongly with the presence of nocturnal exacerbation of symptoms. Bronchodilator therapy did not affect the prevalence of GER in asthmatic children.