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Review
. 2016 Dec 20:25:243.
doi: 10.11604/pamj.2016.25.243.10497. eCollection 2016.

[Gastroesophageal reflux in premature: a case report]

[Article in French]
Daouda Ndour  1
Affiliations
Review

[Gastroesophageal reflux in premature: a case report]

[Article in French]
Daouda Ndour. Pan Afr Med J. .

Abstract
in English, French

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common problem in neonatology. Various physiological protective reflex responses provide a plausible biological link between gastro-esophageal reflux and apnea and bradycardia in premature. It is uncertain whether or not there is a causal relationship between the two diseases. However there is no consensus about the clinical and paraclinical diagnosis. Further explorations and treatment offered to premature infants with symptoms are discussed. We report the case of a preterm infants admitted to neonatal intensive care and with apnea and bradycardia. Clinical examination and exploration results were normal. We retained the gastrointestinal reflux diagnosis complicated of apnea and bradycardia. Pharmacological therapy for gastro-esophageal reflux disease has not definitively been shown to be effective in improving symptoms and should be reserved especially for infants with treatment refractory apnea and bradycardia episodes suspected as being gastro-esophageal reflux in premature infants. From a case report we made a literature review to discuss at length the different aspects of the problem.

Le reflux gastro-œsophagien (RGO) est un problème fréquent en néonatologie. Le RGO est souvent incriminé dans diverses manifestations cliniques survenant chez le prématuré. Diverses réponses reflexes physiologiques fournissent un lien biologique possible entre le reflux gastro-œsophagien; l'apnée et les bradycardies du prématuré sans que lien de causalité ne soit clairement établi. En outre les explorations et le traitement proposés chez le prématuré présentant un reflux sont très discutés. Nous rapportons le cas d'un nouveau-né prématuré admis en soins intensifs néonatals et présentant des épisodes d'apnées et de bradycardies. L'examen clinique et les résultats des explorations étaient normaux. Le diagnostic de reflux gastro œsophagien compliqué d'apnée et de bradycardie a été retenu. Le diagnostic de RGO est difficile à confirmer malgré l'arsenal des examens complémentaires. Le traitement médicamenteux n'a pas montré de réel intérêt pour l'amélioration des symptômes et devrait être réservé aux formes sévères. Nous nous proposons à partir de ce cas clinique de faire une revue de la littérature pour une mise au point sur les différents aspects du problème.

Keywords: Premature infant; gastroesophageal reflux.

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Conflict of interest statement

Les auteurs ne déclarent pas de conflit d'intérêt.

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