ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is characterized by the retrograde movement of gastric contents into the esophagus and laryngopharynx. Recent studies have described a relationship between GER and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of GER affects the symptoms and treatment results of OSA. METHODS: One hundred twenty-seven OSA patients were enrolled in this study. All subjects underwent overnight polysomnography. Objective symptoms were evaluated using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), the Stanford Sleepiness Scale (SSS), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Korean version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Assessment Instrument-BREF (WHOQOL). Diagnosis of GER was based on the Korean version of GER questionnaires. Post-operative subjective symptoms were evaluated 3 months after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty. RESULTS: Body mass index, ESS, and SSS were significantly higher in the GER group, but polysomnographic parameters were not different between two groups. In the GER group, post-operative overall health quality was significantly improved, but the subjective symptoms were not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although the prevalence of GER was higher in OSA patients, GER did not significantly influence OSA symptoms and post-operative results.