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Review
. 2023 Mar-Apr;89(2):329-338.
doi: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2022.05.002. Epub 2022 May 21.

The link between airway reflux and non-acid reflux in children: a review

Jeyasakthy Saniasiaya  1 , Jeyanthi Kulasegarah  2
Affiliations
Review

The link between airway reflux and non-acid reflux in children: a review

Jeyasakthy Saniasiaya et al. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2023 Mar-Apr.

Abstract

Objective: Airway reflux, a member of extra-esophageal reflux, has been linked to countless respiratory pathologies amongst children. The advent of novel instrumentation has enabled the discovery of non-acid reflux which was postulated as the main culprit of airway reflux. The objective of this review is to outline the association between non-acid reflux and airway reflux in children.

Methods: A comprehensive review of recent literature on non-acid reflux and airway reflux in children was conducted. Studies ranged from January 2010 till November 2021 were searched over a period of a month: December 2021.

Results: A total of eleven studies were identified. All studies included in this review revealed a strong link between non-acid reflux and airway reflux in children. 6 of the included studies are prospective studies, 3 retrospective studies, 1 cross-section study, and type of study was not mentioned in 1 study. The most common reported respiratory manifestation of non-acid reflux in children was chronic cough (7 studies). Predominant non-acid reflux was noted in 4 studies. The total number of children in each study ranges from 21 to 150 patients. MII-pH study was carried out in all studies included as a diagnostic tool for reflux investigation.

Conclusion: Non-acid reflux is the culprit behind airway reflux as well as other myriads of extra-esophageal manifestations in children. Multicentre international studies with a standardized protocol could improve scientific knowledge in managing non-acid reflux in airway reflux amongst children.

Keywords: Airway reflux; Children; Gastroesophageal reflux; Laryngopharyngeal reflux; Non-acid reflux.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) for the systematic literature search.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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