Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Airway Hyperresponsiveness: Mechanisms and Mediators Involved GERD and Asthma

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is clearly explained as the unintentional passage of stomach contents through the esophagus that takes place many times during the day both in children and in adults.The diagnosis of GERD is made through the assessment ofreflux symptoms by monitoring of esophageal pH. In literature, there are few studies based on the correlation between GERD and age, and then on the onset of the disorder in both adults and children.

The prevalence rate is tightly linked with age, with adults aged 60 to 70 being the most commonly affected. In adults, the estimate of the prevalence of GERD, defined as the onset of anepisode a week, it is between 10% and 20% in Western countries, while it isless than 5% in Asian countries. Instead, the prevalence of GERD in children is less than 10%. Nevertheless, a specific populations of children has a greater risk of developing GERD, such as those with esophageal atresia, or respiratory diseases, or even children suffering from obesity or born prematurely.