[Gastroesophageal reflux disease and respiratory apparatus pathology: the evidence of interrelation and unsolved problems].

The article deals with interrelation between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and bronchial asthma (BA), presenting the results of the examination of 37 patients, who underwent 24-hour intraesophageal ph-metry and bronchial passability in addition to standard tests, used in patients with BA. Concomitant GERD was revealed in 45.94% of the patients with BA, and esophagitis signs--in 5.4% of the patients, which shows that endoscopically negative forms of GERD are more prevalent among patients with BA. Treatment with proton pump inhibitors did not result in complete regression of the clinical manifestations of BA. In the authors' opinion, even casual-effect relation between bronchial obstruction attacks does not always suggest that GERD is the cause of the illness. Most likely, GERD is one of many triggers provoking BA attacks. Thus, the term "reflux-induced BA" is irrelevant.