Symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux

In January 24, kids with asthma who do not have heartburn and symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux do not get extra asthma control from acid lessening medicines. This is according to a new research. Taking this type of medicine if there is no issue may boost the risk of a child in developing a respiratory related infection according to a study. There is a firm association between acid reflux and asthma according to a study, these results in present asthma guidelines for evaluating the people with asthma for acid reflux.

Since decisive examinations to check for additional acid production may cause kids great discomfort, this is because some doctors can pick a trial concerning acid suppressing medications known as proton pump inhibitors or better known as PPIs. Some of the most common brand names of this medicine class are Prilosec, Nexium & Prevacid. There are findings that suggest that doctors must not bring their kids with poorly controlled asthma and check if proton pump inhibitors can help them.

Asthma & gastroesophageal reflux

Asthma & gastroesophageal reflux or GERD are now becoming a common condition among kids. Young ones with asthma may suffer from signs of gastroesophageal reflux. In the elderly proton pump inhibitors can help them even if they have asthma even if they have signs of GERD, but not those who do not have any signs at all like heartburn. The present study have included that around 300 kids have recruited from 19 centers all over the US from 2007 to 2010. Kids ages 11 who had asthma that cannot be controlled even if they are getting ample amount of treatment with inhaled corticosteroids.

The kids were given lansoprazole a kind of proton pump inhibitor or placebo that should be taken for 6 months. The dose will be based on the weight of the kids. Asthma may improve when properly checked and the functions of the lungs will also be measured.  After 6 months, there were differences between the groups.  To add up to that, around 1oo kids who have had 24 hour GERD acid study and 43% were found to have high amount of acid production. Even if this group was treated using lansoprazole, it didn’t make any improvement with their asthma signs over the placebo.

Holbrook have said that even if this study only focused in proton pump inhibitor, she actually believed that the results will hold the true side of the other types of medicines in this type of drug.  Kids who are taking lansoprazole are 30% high risk of respiratory infections and sore throats in this type of study. Proton pump inhibitors are also linked with a different kind of risk of activity related to bone fractures, even if the difference is not significantly linked according to a related editorial in the same problem of the journal.