scholarly journals Gastroesophageal Reflux and Asthma: Can the Paradox Be Explained?

2000 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen K Field
Keyword(s):  
Gastroesophageal Reflux ◽  
Pulmonary Function ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Asthma Symptoms ◽  
Asthma Patients ◽  
Extensive Body ◽  
Small Sample Sizes ◽  
Antireflux Therapy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:The reported effects of asthma on gastroesophageal reflux (GER), effects of GER on asthma and the effects of antireflux therapy on asthma are conflicting. The purpose of this paper is to review the evidence for a relationship between the two conditions.DESIGN:A search of the MEDLINE 1966 to 1999 database, combining the terms GER and asthma, was used to identify studies of the effects of acid perfusion of the esophagus, the physiological equivalent of GER and the effects of both medical and surgical antireflux therapy on asthma. Bibliographies of the identified papers were also reviewed.MAIN RESULTS:The collected evidence suggests that GER causes asthma symptoms but has minimal effects on pulmonary function. Both medical and surgical antireflux therapy can improve asthma symptoms and asthma medication requirements without improving pulmonary function. The paradox of GER causing symptoms without affecting pulmonary function may be because of the retrosternal discomfort that accompanies GER increases minute ventilation and respiratory sensation.CONCLUSIONS:Despite an extensive body of literature, many questions remain about the relationship between GER and asthma. A review of the data suggests a strong association between the two conditions, and that GER worsens asthma symptoms without affecting pulmonary function. Asymptomatic GER does not worsen asthma. Antireflux therapy may have a role in asthma patients with symptomatic GER, possibly being most beneficial for those with reflux-associated respiratory symptoms. Unfortunately, many studies contain flaws such as a lack of controls and small sample sizes. Further properly designed controlled trials, including ones that measure the effects of GER and antireflux therapy on quality of life, are needed to understand better the role of GER in asthma.

scholarly journals The Cardiopulmonary effect of passive movement

2002 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Loram ◽  
S. De Charmoy
Keyword(s):  
Intracranial Pressure ◽  
Minute Ventilation ◽  
Normal Subjects ◽  
Limb Movement ◽  
Passive Movement ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Neurosurgical Patients ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Small Sample Sizes ◽  
Passive Movements

Eleven articles were reviewed on the cardiopulmonary effects of passive movements. These included two articles on theneurological effects of passive movements. Of the eleven articles, four were considered to have level II evidence in accordance with Sackett’s rules of evidence. There was little consensus regarding the rate or duration of passive movements. There were some suggestions that upper limb movement produces a greater ventilatory response than lower limb movement. There was a statistically significant increase (p< 0.05) in minute ventilation when the movement was done at a rate of 40 repetitions per minute or more, but this change may not be clinically significant. Passive movements were not detrimental to neurosurgical patients with a normal or slightly elevated intracranial pressure, although the values of the intracranial pressure were not stated.  The studies were limited in that eight of the eleven had small sample sizes and most studies were conducted using normal subjects. Further studies with higher levels of evidence need to be  conducted to verify any results reported to date in the literature. Studies that are relevant to clinical practice also need to be conducted in populations such as sedated intensive care patients.

scholarly journals Gastroesophageal reflux disease in our asthma patients: the presence of dysphagia can influence pulmonary function

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gulfidan Aras ◽  
Dilek Kanmaz ◽  
Figen Kadakal ◽  
Sevim Purisa ◽  
Kenan Sonmez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease ◽  
Gastroesophageal Reflux ◽  
Pulmonary Function ◽  
Reflux Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Function Tests ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Study Group ◽  
Alveolar Volume ◽  
Asthma Patients

Background: The prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Turkey is reported as 11.6%. Studies of pulmonary function in asthmatics have demonstrated a correlation between lung resistance and the occurrence of spontaneous gastroesophageal reflux. Few studies have included measures of lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide. The aim of this study is to assess whether asthma patients had worse lung function and gas diffusion according to diversity of GERD symptoms they concurrently experienced. The secondary aim of the study is to determine the frequency and different faces of GERD in our asthma patients compared to healthy controls. Methods: Sixty consecutive asthma patients evaluatd at the pulmonary specialty outpatient clinic were included in the study. The control group included 60 healthy volunteers who had normal pulmonary function and routine laboratory tests. A modified version of a self-reported questionnaire developed by Locke and associates at the Mayo Clinic was conducted face-to-face with consecutive asthma patients and control subjects. Pulmonary function measurements were taken using spirometry. DLCO (mL/dk/mmHg) and DLCO/VA (DLCO adjusted according to alveolar volume) were measured using a single-breath technique. Statistical analyses were performed using the SPSS 17.0 statistical software. Results: DLCO and DLCO/VA were significantly lower in asthma patients who had dysphagia symptoms. Frequent and significant acid regurgitations were seen in 28.33% (n = 17) of patients in the study group and 6.7% (n = 4) of patients in the control group. Severe, troublesome heartburn symptoms were reported by 28.2% (n = 17) of patients in the study group and 16.7% (n = 10) of subjects in the control group. Dysphagia was detected in 38.3% (n = 23) of all asthma cases and in 1.7% (n = 1) of the subjects in the control group. Conclusions: There were many faces of gastroesophageal reflux disease in our asthmatic patients. Dysphagia was the only GERD symptom influencing on pulmonary function tests, while gastroesophageal reflux symptoms and nocturnal awakening attacks were common in this study.

Integrating Visual and Bayesian Statistical Analyses in Single Case Experimental Research to Evaluate the Effectiveness and Magnitude of a Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prathiba Natesan ◽  
Smita Mehta
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Intervention ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Rate Ratio ◽  
Visual Analysis ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Statistical Analyses ◽  
Data Types ◽  
Ratio Effect ◽  
Small Sample Sizes

Single case experimental designs (SCEDs) have become an indispensable methodology where randomized control trials may be impossible or even inappropriate. However, the nature of SCED data presents challenges for both visual and statistical analyses. Small sample sizes, autocorrelations, data types, and design types render many parametric statistical analyses and maximum likelihood approaches ineffective. The presence of autocorrelation decreases interrater reliability in visual analysis. The purpose of the present study is to demonstrate a newly developed model called the Bayesian unknown change-point (BUCP) model which overcomes all the above-mentioned data analytic challenges. This is the first study to formulate and demonstrate rate ratio effect size for autocorrelated data, which has remained an open question in SCED research until now. This expository study also compares and contrasts the results from BUCP model with visual analysis, and rate ratio effect size with nonoverlap of all pairs (NAP) effect size. Data from a comprehensive behavioral intervention are used for the demonstration.

No Evidence that Experiencing Physical Warmth Promotes Interpersonal Warmth: Two Failures to Replicate Williams and Bargh (2008)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher Chabris ◽  
Patrick Ryan Heck ◽  
Jaclyn Mandart ◽  
Daniel Jacob Benjamin ◽  
Daniel J. Simons
Keyword(s):  
Null Hypothesis ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Sample Sizes ◽  
Double Blind ◽  
Bayesian Analyses ◽  
Physical Warmth ◽  
Small Sample Sizes ◽  
Interpersonal Warmth

Williams and Bargh (2008) reported that holding a hot cup of coffee caused participants to judge a person’s personality as warmer, and that holding a therapeutic heat pad caused participants to choose rewards for other people rather than for themselves. These experiments featured large effects (r = .28 and .31), small sample sizes (41 and 53 participants), and barely statistically significant results. We attempted to replicate both experiments in field settings with more than triple the sample sizes (128 and 177) and double-blind procedures, but found near-zero effects (r = –.03 and .02). In both cases, Bayesian analyses suggest there is substantially more evidence for the null hypothesis of no effect than for the original physical warmth priming hypothesis.

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