A systematic review with meta-analysis of gastroesophageal reflux disease and exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Background Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) was suggested to be associated with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in recent years. The aim of this study was to examine the association between GERD and COPD exacerbation through a meta-analysis. Methods Databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched with a systematic searching strategy for original articles, published until Jan 2019, without language restriction. Results A total of 13,245 patients from 10 observational articles were included in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that GERD is associated with increased risk of COPD exacerbation (OR: 5.37; 95% CI 2.71-10.64). Patients with COPD and GERD had increased number of exacerbation (WMD: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.65). Conclusions The meta-analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between GERD and COPD exacerbation.