ESPE Abstracts

The relationship between growth scores and gastroesophageal reflux disease has been extensively studied in the adult population. Single studies conducted in children

Objective: To study the relationship between anthropometric parameters and erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease in school-age children

Materials and methods: 103 children with erosive GERD were included (65 boys, mean age 12.3±2.5 years). Children of primary school age (7-11 years) 43 children, older (12-18 years) - 60. The diagnosis was established on the basis of the Los Angeles classification. Patients are divided into two groups: erosive esophagitis stage A - 93, stages B and C - 10. The comparison group consisted of 30 children (11 boys, mean age 13.1±3.1 years) with chronic gastroduodenitis. Standard deviation coefficient (SDS) was used to estimate height and body mass index (BMI). Growth SDS values ≥2 were considered tall, ≤ 2 short stature. SDS BMI values ≥2 were considered obese. For statistical processing, the x2 criterion was used, values less than 0.05 were regarded as significant.

Results: Tall stature was detected in 16.5% (17/103) of children with esophagitis, in the comparison group there were no children with tall stature (0.0%) (P=0.018). Short stature - in 0.97% (1/103), in the comparison group in 1 child 3.3% (1/30, P=0.350). Among children of primary school age, tall stature is 23.2% (10/43), among children of senior school age in children 11.6% (7/60 P=0.199). Obesity was found in 11.6% (12/103) of children with esophagitis, in the comparison group in 3.3% (1/30, P=0.178). In young children, obesity is in 16.2% (7/43), in senior school age in 8.3% of children (5/60, P=0.216). The proportion of patients with obesity among boys 15.3% (10/65), girls 5.2% (2/38, P=0.123). In children with stage B+C esophagitis, tall stature was not observed (0.0%), in stage A in 18.2% (17/93, P=0.139). Obesity in the subgroup with stage B and C esophagitis in 10.0% (1/10), and in stage A in 11.8% (11\93, P=0.865)

Conclusion: Among children with erosive GERD, tall stature occurs in every sixth patient and significantly exceeds the frequency in patients without esophagitis. Obesity is observed three times more often than in the comparison group, in every tenth child with erosive esophagitis, but the differences are not statistically significant. The influence of indicators of physical development on the severity of erosive esophagitis has not been established.