ESOPHAGEAL FUNCTION IN ASTHMATICS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 62  (2) , 87-94
Abstract
The frequency of different kinds of esophageal dysfunction (OD), i.e., hiatal hernia at manometry, dysmotility, hypotension of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and positive acid perfusion test, was investigated in 97 patients with bronchial asthma. Thirty-six patients had signs of hiatal hernia, 37 of dysmotility, 26 of LES hypotension and 23 had a positive acid perfusion test. Of all the asthma patients, 4% fulfilled 4 criteria for OD and 10, 28 and 25% fulfilled 3, 2 and 1 criteria, respectively. The incidence of OD was significantly higher in patients with exogenous (95%) than in patients with endogenous asthma (58%, P < 0.01). The history of asthma in patients with OD was of significantly longer duration (mean 16.9 yr) than that of the OD itself (mean 6.5 yr, P < 0.01). Productive cough and frequent wheezing were more common in patients with OD (46%) than in patients without (19%, P < 0.01). Spirometric lung volumes did not differ between asthmatics with OD and those without. Asthmatics with OD seem to suffer more from respiratory symptoms than asthmatics without OD.