Ultrasound diagnostics of gastroesophageal reflux in the patients with bronchial asthma

Abstract

Objective — to assess the efficacy of ultrasound imaging of the esophagus for diagnosing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the patients with bronchial asthma (BA). Materials and methods. 81 patients with bronchial asthma have been examined. Special diagnostic methods, including ultrasound imaging of the esophagus, have been used for the diagnosis of GERD. Results and discussion. Contrast­enhanced ultrasound imaging of the esophagus allows to diagnose pathological gastroesophageal reflux in 88,8 % of the patients with clinical pattern of GERD. Moreover, ultrasound imaging of the esophagus demonstrates its efficacy for diagnosing a hiatal hernia that has been detected in 43.8 % of the study patients. The comparative analysis of ultrasound findings with the results of other instrumental studies has shown that pathological changes have been revealed in 3 cases during fibroesophagogastroduodenoscopy (FEGDS) and roentgenography of the esophagus and stomach while sonographic findings have been normal. Conversely, the signs of GERD have been defined in 3 out of 4 patients during the additional ultrasound imaging while FEGDS findings have been normal. Conclusions. US of the esophagus has proved its high efficacy as the additional method for a primary GERD diagnosis. It is necessary to comprehensively examine the upper digestive tract of the patients with BA by means of ultrasound imaging of the esophagus.