Introduction. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) occurs when stomach contents flow back up into the esophagus — a muscular tube that carries food and liquids from the mouth to the stomach. GER is common in infants under 2 years of age. Pathological gastroesophageal reflux in infants is a pathological condition characterized by frequent and prolonged episodes of refluxes that arises during day and night and causes symptoms of the destruction of oesophagus mucous membrane.
Matherials and methods. Untreated acid reflux can have serious long-term consequences. Both environmental and genetic factors contribute to disease susceptibility. The underlying susceptibility genes are currently unknown, with the exception of COL3A1. A case-control study was carried out in 28 cases and 40 control subjects with pathological gastroesophageal reflux.
Results. Clinical course and risk factors of the pathological gastroesophageal reflux were studied in cohort observational study. The aim of the study was to explore the factors, associated with the risk of pathologic GER and to study peculiarities of the clinical course in infants. Monofactorial analysis of risk factors associated with pathological gastroesophagal reflux in infants was done. Mixed feeding (OR 6.2, 95% CI 2.12–18.10), vaginal delivery (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.07–8.40) and intrauterine exposition of perinatal infections (OR 4.93, 95% CI 1.17–20.69) were statistically clarified as risk factors of pathological gastroesophagal reflux in infants.