Pharmacologic efficacy of sodium alginate suspension on gastro-esophageal reflux in infants and children
Le Luyer, B.; Mougenot, J.F.; Mashako, L.; Chapoy, P.; Olives, J.P.; Morali, A.; Chevallier, B.; Ginies, J.L.; Dupont, C.; Dagorne, M.
Archives Francaises de Pediatrie 47(1): 65-68
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-9764 PMID: 2322080 Document Number: 351884
Eighty-three children presenting with symptomatic gastro-esophageal reflux (GER) (48 males, 35 females, aged 15 days to 57 months (mean = 7 months) were assessed by pH monitoring. All showed acid pathological GER on the 3 hours post-prandial esophageal pH measurement (% of time at pH less than 4 greater than 4.2) and all had a second pH measurement within the following 3 hours after intake of a single (5 ml) dose of sodium alginate (AGS). AGS administration was followed by a highly significant reduction (p less than 0.00001) of all pH measurement variables: a) Percentage of time spent at pH less than 4 returned to normal with a mean 11.7% to 4.8%; that is a 52.5% improvement (median); b) Total number of reflux reduced on average from 8.9 to 5.0: that is a 35% improvement (median); c) Mean duration of reflux reduced on average for 4 to 2 min; that is a 60% improvement (median). In 76 patients hourly monitoring of % of time spent at pH less than 4 shows that hourly improvement persists.