Gastroesophageal reflux in children with cerebral palsy: efficacy of cisapride.

The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of gastroesophageal reflux with 24-hour pH monitoring in children with cerebral palsy. In the second part of the study, we started cisapride with the children with documented gastroesophageal reflux and evaluated the efficacy of cisapride with the second 24-hour pH monitoring. This study was performed before discontinuation of cisapride with US Food and Drug Administration reports in Turkish markets. Twenty-eight children who had been followed up in the Department of Pediatric Neurology between 1999 and 2000 were enrolled in the study. Twenty-four-hour pH monitoring was performed on all patients. Two parameters were evaluated as pathologic: a reflux index (percentage of time the pH value was <4) over 4.5% and reflux longer than 15 minutes even when the reflux index was below 4.5%. Cisapride treatment was assigned to the patients with pathologic monitoring results at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg/day for 3 months. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were analyzed before and after cisapride treatment. Symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal dysfunction were dysphagia in 18 cases (64.3%), constipation in 8 cases (28.6%), vomiting in 6 (14.2%) cases, and recurrent pneumonia in 2 cases (8.5%). The reflux index was > or =4.5% in 13 (46.4%) of the 28 cases. Reflux was longer than 15 minutes in 2 (7.1%) cases. Cisapride was started in 15 cases with pathologic monitoring results. Appetite improved in 6 cases and dysphagia disappeared in 8 cases after cisapride therapy (P < .05). pH monitoring was repeated in 12 cases after 3 months and was normal in 8 of them. Improvement in the reflux index and total reflux episodes was statistically significant after therapy (P = .008). No adverse effects occurred. Even though the drug is no longer marketed, we concluded that it improved the symptoms and quality of life in spastic children with gastroesophageal reflux.