Review article: Sleep and its relationship to gastro-oesophageal reflux

Abstract

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is among the most common gastrointestinal conditions in the USA. For most symptomatic patients, reflux events occur during both daytime and night-time hours. Whereas daytime reflux events tend to be frequent but brief, reflux events that occur during sleep are comparatively less frequent but significantly longer. Longer oesophageal acid-clearance and acid-mucosal contact times during sleep are at least partly due to several physiological changes associated with sleep, including dramatic declines in saliva production and frequency of swallowing, decreased conscious perception of heart-burn and consequent arousal and clearance behaviours, and slower gastric emptying. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and obesity seem to predispose some patients to nocturnal GERD, and the presence of either of these conditions may help to identify patients with symptoms consistent with GERD. Recognition and treatment of night-time GERD are important because it can be associated with decreased quality of life (including sleep disruption) and increased risk of serious oesophageal and respiratory complications.