Asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease: Effect of long-term pantoprazole therapy

AIM: To define the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in mild persistent asthma and to value the effect of pantoprazole therapy on asthmatic symptoms.METHODS: Seven of thirty-four asthmatic patients without GERD served as the non-GERD control group.Twenty-seven of thirty-four asthmatic patients had GERD (7/27 also had erosive esophagitis, sixteen of them presented GERD symptoms. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed in all the subjects to obtain five biopsy specimens from the lower 5 cm of the esophagus. Patients were considered to have GERD when they had a dilation of intercellular space (DIS)＞0.74 μm at transmission electron microscopy.Patients with GERD were treated with pantoprazole,80 mg/day. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) was performed at entry and after 6 mo of treatment. Asthmatic symptoms were recorded. The required frequency of inhaling rapid acting 32-agonists was self-recorded in the patients' diaries.RESULTS: Seven symptomatic patients presented erosive esophagitis. Among the 18 asymptomatic patients, 11 presented DIS, while all symptomatic patients showed ultrastructural esophageal damage.Seven asymptomatic patients did not present DIS. At entry the mean of FEV1 was 1.91 L in symptomatic GERD patients and 1.88 L in asymptomatic GERD patients.After the treatment, 25 patients had a complete recovery of DIS and reflux symptoms. Twenty-three patients presented a regression of asthmatic symptoms with normalization of FEV1. Four patients reported a significant improvement of symptoms and their FEV1 was over 80%.CONCLUSION: GERD is a highly prevalent condition in asthma patients. Treatment with pantoprazole (80 mg/day)determines their improvement and complete regression.

Effect of omeprazole on symptoms and ultrastructural esophageal damage in acid bile reflux

AIM: To value whether omeprazole could induce the healing of DIS and regression of symptoms in patients with DGER.METHODS: We enrolled 15 symptomatic patients with a pathological esophageal 24-h pH-metry and bilimetry.Patients underwent endoscopy and biopsies were taken from the distal esophagus. Specimens were analyzed at histology and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).Patients were treated with omeprazole 40 mg/d for 3 mo and then endoscopy with biopsies was repeated. Patients with persistent heartburn and/or with an incomplete recovery of DIS were treated for 3 more months and endoscopy with biopsies was performed.RESULTS: Nine patients had a non-erosive reflux disease at endoscopy (NERD) while 6 had erosive esophagitis (ERD). At histology, of the 6 patients with erosive esophagus,5 had mild esophagitis and 1 moderate esophagitis. No patients with NERD showed histological signs of esophagitis.After 3 mo of therapy, 13/15 patients (86.7%, P＜0.01)showed a complete recovery of DIS and disappearance of heartburn. Of the 2 patients treated for 3 more months,complete recovery of DIS and heartburn were achieved in one.CONCLUSION: Three or 6 mo of omeprazole therapy led to a complete regression of the ultrastructural esophageal damage in 86.7% and in 93% of patients with DGER, NERD and ERD respectively. The ultrastructural recovery of the epithelium was accompanied by regression of heartburn in all cases.