NEW YORK -- December 4, 2008 -- Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may be at an increased risk for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to a study published in the December issue of the journal CHEST.
Luis A. García Rodríguez, MD, Spanish Centre for Pharmacoepidemiological Research, Madrid, Spain, and colleagues calculated the incidence of GERD in 1,628 patients with a first diagnosis of COPD and the incidence of COPD in 4,391 patients with a first diagnosis of GERD.
The researchers also calculated the relative risk (RR) estimates of these diagnoses using the Mantel–Haenszel test. Risks associated with medication use, comorbidities, and demographic, and lifestyle factors were examined using nested case-control analysis.
During the 5-year follow-up, the relative risk of incidence of COPD in patients with GERD was 1.17 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91-1.49), while the relative risk of incidence for GERD in patients with COPD was 1.46 (95% CI, 1.19-1.78).
A COPD diagnosis was associated with current or former smoking, prior diagnosis of asthma, or use of asthma medication. A GERD diagnosis was associated with prior diagnosis of ischaemic heart disease.
The study emphasises that the 2 diseases coexist and that COPD may predispose patients to GERD. Furthermore, researchers speculate that although GERD does not appear to predispose patients to COPD, GERD may worsen pre-existing COPD.
SOURCE: American College of Chest Physicians
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