Korean J Intern Med.
2014 Jul;29(4):466-473.
Prevalence and risk factors for reflux esophagitis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Affiliations
-
- 1Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Ewha Medical Research Institute, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. jinhwalee@ewha.ac.kr
- 2Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
- BACKGROUND/AIMS
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is one of the most common causes of chronic cough and is a potential risk factor for the exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for reflux esophagitis (RE) in COPD patients.
METHODS
From our hospital database, between September 2006 and April 2010, we searched for subjects who were 40 years old or older and had undergone both postbronchodilator spirometry and esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). COPD was defined as having a ratio of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to forced vital capacity < 0.7 in postbronchodilator spirometry and no abnormality causing airway obstruction, except emphysematous changes, on a chest X-ray. The diagnosis of RE was based on a mucosal break surrounding the distal esophageal sphincter through EGD.
RESULTS
In total, 253 patients with COPD were enrolled. The prevalence of RE in COPD was 30% (76/253). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that age (odds ratio [OR], 0.950; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.918 to 0.983; p = 0.003), smoking pack-years (OR, 1.015; 95% CI, 1.004 to 1.025; p = 0.006), and inhaled anticholinergics (OR, 0.516; 95% CI, 0.271 to 0.982; p = 0.044) were independently associated with RE in COPD patients.
CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of RE in our COPD patients was higher than that reported previously in the Korean general population. In COPD, smoking increased the risk of RE, whereas inhaled anticholinergics may be associated with a reduced risk of RE.