Does laryngopharyngeal reflux cause apnea? A study of the temporal correlation between proximal reflux episodes and sleep apnea

• Grant number: 11/21314-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2012
• End date: May 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Claudia Alessandra Eckley
• Grantee: Júlio Patrocínio Moraes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP). Fundação Arnaldo Vieira de Carvalho. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and its atypical forms (Laryngopharyngeal reflux LPR)has been correlated to Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) for several reasons. Both deaseases are highly prevalent and lead to poor quality of life. The most accepted theories correlated are with the inflammatory process that the refluxed content triggers in the laryngopharyngeal mucosa either by causing narrowing of the airway or by stimulating mechanoreceptors at the pharynx. The apnea could also be caused by vagal hyper stimulation and laryngospasm. It is, however, unclear if the reflux episodes are a cause or consequence of apnea, or even if there is a temporal connection between both pathologies. The objective of the current study is to try to establish a temporal correlation between reflux episodes at the laryngopharyngeal segment and apneic episodes by performing concomitant polissomnography and esophageal pH-impedance testing. A total of 20 adults with OSA and GERD/LPR will be studied. Correlation between apneic events, desaturation and microawakenings will be sought at 15 and 30 seconds, 1, 5,15, and 30 minutes after the reflux episodes. To our knowledge, there are no similar studies in the Western literature that have systematically used this methodology to try to establish a temporal correlation between OSAS and LPR.(AU)