GERD and Anti-Reflux Therapy Between Able-bodied and SCI Individuals
Status:
Unknown status
Trial end date:
1969-12-31
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Respiratory dysfunction, esophageal dysmotility, and a gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
have been demonstrated to be highly prevalent in persons with SCI. GERD has been linked to
respiratory symptoms and conditions such as asthma, chronic cough, and an increased rate of
respiratory infections in the general population. In persons with asthma, respiratory
symptoms and dependency on asthma medications have been reduced by treatment with anti-reflux
medication. Possible mechanisms have been proposed for this link, including the
microaspiration of reflux materials, which may result in airway acidification and aspiration
pneumonia, or the stimulation of the vagus nerve through acid-sensitive receptors in the
esophagus with associated esophageal inflammation and reflex bronchoconstriction.
Investigators propose to study the effects of anti-reflux therapy (proton pump inhibition) in
persons with SCI on objective and subjective symptoms of respiratory function to determine
the underlying mechanisms of airway inflammation due to GERD.