Correlation analysis of gastroesophageal reflux disease and obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the sleep quality and sleep respiratory conditions at night in patients with various level of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) before and after conventional treatments. Methods: 40 patients with GERD were further divided into the non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) group and the reflux esophagitis (RE) group. 20 healthy people were enrolled as control group. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used for evaluate sleep quality and video polysomnography (PSG) was used to assess the sleep respiratory conditions in all patients. PSG was rechecked at the third month after treatment, and the variation of apnea hypopnea index (AHI), the lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO2), mean oxygen saturation (MSaO2), and wakening times (WT) before and after treatments were detected. Results: There were significant differences of PSQI scores between GERD group and healthy control group (P<0.05). GERD could increase the incidence of obstructive sleep apneahypopnea syndrome (OSAHS), but its severity was not associated with the degree of OSAHS. There was no significant difference of OSAHS incidence and severity between RE group and NERD group (P>0.05). Furthermore, there was significant difference of the variation of MSaO2, frequency of awakening and apnea hypopnea, LSaO2 and AHI in RE and NERD group before and after treatments, but no significant difference of the OSAHS incidence. Conclusion: There is sleep apnea with variant degrees in GERD patients, and the sleep apnea can be improved after the GERD controlled.