Study of Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease in COPD Patients

Abstract: This study included 30 COPD inpatients in chest and internal medicine departments in Ain Shams University Hospital, 15 of them with moderate COPD and 15 of them with severe COPD (by Gold 2007)(1), 25 were males and 5 were females (active or passive smokers). The aim of the work was to study the prevalence of GERD in COPD patients and its effect on the number of exacerbations of COPD. Both groups were subjected to history taking, full clinical examination, full laboratory investigations, radiography, spirometry, arterial blood gases and upper GIT endoscopy and biopsy. Results revealed that the prevalence of GERD in COPD patients was 53.3 % in the moderate group,73.3 in the severe group(total = 63.3 %) by endoscopy & was 66.6 % in the moderate group,93.3 % in the severe group ((total = 80 %) by biopsy being more prevalent in the severe group of COPD. GERD severity increases as the degree of COPD increases (there were more patients with advanced grades among severe COPD than the moderate group). GERD increases with increase in the smoking (pack/year) both in moderate & in the severe groups. Moreover, there were increase in the frequency of exacerbations of COPD in GERD patients both in moderate & in the severe groups. From this study we conclude that GERD is common in COPD patients being more among severe COPD. Also GERD increases the number of exacerbations of COPD. [Nature and Science. 2009;7(5):11-18]