Brief Reports
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 14, 2005; 11(6): 839-841
Published online Feb 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i6.839
Correlation between severity of endoscopic findings and apnea-hypopnea index in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease and obstructive sleep apnea
Pál Demeter, Katalin Várdi Visy, Pál Magyar
Pál Demeter, Department of Gastroenterology, St. Margaret’s Hospital, Budapest, Hungary
Katalin Várdi Visy, Pál Magyar, Department of Pulmonology, Semmelweis Medical University, Budapest, Hungary
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr. Pál Demeter, Department of Gastroenterology, St. Margaret’s Hospital, Bécsi út 132., Budapest 1032, Hungary. pauldemeter@axelero.hu
Telephone: +36-30-9222985 Fax: +36-23-457656
Received: June 15, 2004
Revised: June 18, 2004
Accepted: July 27, 2004
Published online: February 14, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To assess the relationship between severity of gastroesophageal reflux disease and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) as an indicator of the severity of obstructive sleep apnea.

METHODS: Data of 57 patients with proven obstructive sleep apnea and gastroesophageal reflux disease were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups according to severity of the sleep apnea: “mild-moderate” (A)-AHI ≥5-30, n = 27, “severe”(B)-AHI >30, n = 30. All patients underwent apnea monitoring during the night, upper panendoscopy and were asked about typical reflux symptoms.

RESULTS: All examined patients in both groups showed a significant overweight and there was a positive correlation between body mass index and the degree of sleep apnea (P = 0.0002). The occurence of erosive reflux disease was significantly higher in “severe” group (P = 0.0001). Using a logistic regression analysis a positive correlation was found between the endoscopic severity of reflux disease and the AHI (P = 0.016). Forty-nine point five percent of the patients experienced the typical symptoms of reflux disease at least three times a week and there was no significant difference between the two groups.

CONCLUSION: A positive correlation can be found between the severity of gastroesophageal reflux disease and obstructive sleep apnea.

Keywords: Obstructive sleep apnea; Gastroesophageal reflux disease; Severity; Correlation