Bidirectional association between GERD and asthma: Two longitudinal follow-up studies using a national sample cohort





So Young Kim, Chanyang Min, Dong Jun Oh, Hyo Geun Choi


The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice, [Epub ahead of print], doi: 10.1016/j.jaip.2019.10.043


ABSTRACT


Background: A relation between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and asthma has been suggested; however, causality has not been investigated.


Objective: This study aimed to delineate the causal relation between GERD and asthma.


Materials and Methods: Participants of the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort 2002-2013 who were ≥ 20 years old were selected for this study. In study I, 116,502 GERD patients were matched in a 1:2 ratio to 233,004 control I participants, and the hazard ratio (HR) of asthma in GERD patients was analyzed. In study II, 104,146 asthma patients were matched in a 1:1 ratio to 104,146 control II participants, and the HR for GERD in asthma patients was analyzed. A stratified Cox-proportional hazards model was used. Subgroup analyses were performed according to age and sex.


Results: In study I, 12.5% (14,595/116,502) of the GERD group and 7.8% (18,135/233,004) of the control I group presented asthma (P < 0.001). The GERD group demonstrated a 1.46-fold higher HR for asthma than the control I group (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.42-1.49, P < 0.001). In study II, 16.9% (17,582/104,146) of the asthma group and 11.9% (12,393/104,146) of the control II group presented GERD (P < 0.001). The asthma group showed a 1.36-fold higher HR for GERD than the control II group (95% CI = 1.33-1.39, P < 0.001). All age and sex subgroups presented consistent results.


Conclusions: GERD and asthma had a bidirectional relation in the study population.


- PMID: 31733335


- Fulltext: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213219819309377