Gastro-oesophageal regurgitation is considered a problem if it is frequent, persistent, and associated with other symptoms such as increased crying, discomfort with regurgitation, and frequent back arching. A cross-sectional survey of parents of 948 infants attending 19 primary care paediatric practices found that regurgitation of at least one episode a day was reported in 51% of infants aged 0 to 3 months.
Methods and outcomes
We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical question: What are the effects of treatment for symptomatic gastro-oesophageal reflux? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to August 2007 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
We found 27 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.
In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: domperidone, feed thickeners in infants, H2 antagonists, head elevated sleep positioning, left lateral or prone sleep positioning, metoclopramide, proton pump inhibitors, sodium alginate, surgery, soy formula with added fibre, and weight loss.
Reflux of gastric contents into the oesophagus in children causes recurrent vomiting (usually before 6 weeks of age), epigastric and abdominal pain, feeding difficulties, failure to thrive, and irritability.
At least half of infants regurgitate feeds at least once a day, but this only causes other problems in about 20% of infants, and most cases resolve spontaneously by 12 to 18 months of age.Risk factors include lower oesophageal sphincter disorders, hiatus hernia, gastric distension, raised intra-abdominal pressure, and neurodevelopmental problems.
Sleeping in the left lateral or prone position may improve oesophageal pH compared with sleeping supine or on the right side, but these positions may increase the risk of SIDS compared with supine sleeping, and their effect on clinically important outcomes is unknown.
We don't know whether sleeping in the prone elevated position reduces symptoms compared with the prone horizontal position, or whether weight loss reduces symptoms.
Thickened feeds may reduce the severity and frequency of regurgitation in the short term.
Sodium alginate may reduce the frequency of regurgitation compared with placebo, although studies have given conflicting results.
The high sodium content of sodium alginate may make it unsuitable for use in preterm babies.
Metoclopramide may be effective, but studies have given conflicting results and it can cause adverse effects.
We don't know whether domperidone, H2
proton pump inhibitors, or surgery reduce symptoms in babies with gastro-oesophageal reflux, and they may cause adverse effects.
Soy-based formula with added fibre may reduce the frequency of regurgitation in infants in the neonatal period compared with cow’s milk infant formulas.