Subacute Rhinitis in Infants: Gastroesophageal Reflux Must Be Considered

Abstract

Objectives: The study sought to evaluate the influence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and allergy on subacute rhinitis in infants. Methods: Mothers of 74 infants with subacute rhinitis completed the Infant Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire Revised. Participants with GERD were randomized to undergo one of the following regimens for 10 days: Use of fluorometholone nasal drops with positional and feeding changes; positional and feeding changes; or a placebo. Results: The daily amount of nasal secretion decreased by 75.9% (p < 0.001), the intensity of swallowing difficulty by 79.2% (p < 0.001), and the incidence of uneasiness by 92.0% (p < 0.001) in infants treated with nasal glucocorticoid and positional and feeding changes; and the percentage differences in the amount of nasal secretion (p < 0.001), feeding difficulty (p < 0.001), and uneasiness (p < 0.001) were greater than those in the group treated with positional and feeding changes. The infants treated with placebo did not improve. The influence of nasal allergy was nonsignificant. Conclusions: Gastroesophageal reflux disease might contribute to aggravation of subacute rhinitis in infants.