Gastroesophageal reflux disease in children: How much we know?

WOS: 000420901600003Objective: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) can manifest with various clinical presentations and accompany to several diseases. This study aimed to assess presenting complaints, clinical characteristics and comorbid disorder in cases with GERD. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed age, gender, presenting complaints, findings of physical examination secondary causes of reflux, and comorbid disorders in 219 cases aged 1 month-15 years were diagnosed as GERD in Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology, between September, 2003 and December, 2005. Results: Of 291 cases, 114 (52.1%) were boys. Number of cases aged >= 1 years 168 (76.7%) was higher than those aged aged = 1 year. Recurrent vomiting, excessive crying, irritability, and feeding difficulty were more commonly observed among cases aged = 1 year. There was malnutrition in 15 cases (6.8%), short stature in 19 cases (8.6%) according to body weight and height Z scores assessed during physical examination. Growth retardation was more common among cases aged = 1 year, indicating significant difference (p= 1 year (41.3%). When comorbid diseases were considered, asthma was observed in 31 cases whereas Helicobacter pylori gastritis in 28 cases, indicating significant difference between cases aged = 1 year (p=0.009). Conclusion: Cases with suspected GERD should be investigated for extra-gastrointestinal findings. To improve quality of life in such patients, these problems, which tend to be chronic, should be recognized and treated early