Evidências acerca do tratamento da doença do refluxo gastroesofágico (DRGE) em crianças: uma revisão de escopo.

Abstract

Introduction: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that occurs when gastric acid flows back into the esophagus, causing irritation and damage to the esophageal mucosa. This condition can manifest with a variety of symptoms, including heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain, chronic cough, among others. It is diagnosed based on the presence of characteristic signs and symptoms, present in the ROME IV criteria, such as chest discomfort and epigastric pain, worsening or onset of symptoms through recurrent episodes of reflux and/or worsening of stomach acidity, with reduced pH, in addition to absence of histopathological evidence of eosinophilic esophagitis. In children, GERD symptoms can be more difficult to identify, as they may not be able to clearly express what they are feeling. Objective: To evaluate evidence on the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children. Methods: Mesh/Decs descriptors “Treatment”, “Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease”, “Children” in English and their equivalents in Portuguese were used in the Pubmed, lilicas, scielo, Science direct and scopus databases. Discussion: Treatment in children may differ in certain aspects. While in adults, medications such as Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) and antacids are mainly used, in children, other medications can be considered. For example, sucralfate may be prescribed in some situations. Results: Evidence indicates that the use of therapies together results in great effectiveness in the treatment of childhood GERD, at the same time that new substances, medications and specific therapies for the pathology are being developed mainly internationally, such as Chinese herbs and Tegoprazan, a South Korean PPI that is increasingly promising compared to placebo and known medications.