Infant gastroesophageal reflux disease management consensus

Abstract

Aim: Infant gastroesophageal reflux is mostly benign; however, when associated with complications like failure to thrive, it may be indicative of gastroesophageal reflux disease. There are currently several unmet needs pertaining to the management of infant gastroesophageal reflux (disease). Reflux in infants is mostly composed of breast milk or formula, so this population is significantly different to older children and adults. The objective of this Delphi consensus was to establish recommendations based on published literature and the experience of clinical experts in paediatric gastroenterology in the context of infant gastroesophageal reflux (disease). Methods: The Delphi methodology was used to obtain a consensus on 18 statements relating to clinical aspects of infant gastroesophageal reflux (disease). Results: The expert panel comprising paediatric gastroenterology clinical specialists reached a consensus for all statements by means of an online, anonymised voting system. Conclusion: It was highlighted that there is generally low awareness of or adherence to guidelines in clinical practice and that acid suppression therapy should not be indicated for non-acid reflux, which constitutes a significant proportion of total gastroesophageal reflux episodes among infants. Furthermore, it was emphasised that there is an unmet medical need for therapy for some symptomatic infants with non-acid reflux disease.