Correlation between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) lung volumes and exacerbation of bronchial asthma: Italian pilot observational retrospective study GERDAS

Reflux asthma is an entity characterized by typical symptoms and, in some cases, is "silent"; it is more dangerous when associated with obesity and sleep apnea syndrome. Numerous studies demonstrate its high prevalence in the general population, particularly in the pediatric population, where, despite medical specialists' treatment, asthma symptoms remain poorly controlled with a high risk of acute exacerbations. This clinical study aims to show how the addition of a particular type of alginate (Deflux Plus sachets) containing hyaluronic acid and melatonin at low doses administered over a prolonged period of 6 months causes a reduction in vagal reflex stimulation of the esophagus and pulmonary microaspiration reflexes by regulating lower esophageal sphincter motility in asthmatic patients, improving the asthma control test (ATC) score. In the reported statistical analysis, receiver operating characteristic curves were performed for sensitivity and specificity for the analyzed parameters, including the ACT score, with statistically significant data p<0.0001. We conclude that combining conventional therapy for reflux asthma with alginates may improve the risk of acute asthma exacerbations and dynamic lung volumes.