Right lateral position tied to faster esophageal acid clearance in GERD: Study

Netherlands: A recent study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology showed left lateral decubitus position to be related with significantly shorter nocturnal esophageal acid exposure time and faster esophageal acid clearance. 

Jeroen M. Schuitenmaker, University Medical Centers Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and colleagues conducted this study with an objective to investigate the effect of spontaneous sleep positions on the occurrence of nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux.

For this purpose, the researchers designed a prospective observational study in which they measured the concurrent sleep position in patients referred for ambulatory pH-impedance reflux monitoring by using a sleep position measurement device (measuring left, right, supine, and prone positions). Fifty-seven patients were included. 

The study included a total of 215 consecutive adult patients with indication for ambulatory pH-impedance monitoring for evaluation of reflux symptoms between December 2019 and March 2021. Those with a history of gastric surgery, esophageal surgery, or other esophageal disorders (such as achalasia and esophageal atresia) were excluded.

"The left lateral decubitus position is associated with significantly shorter nocturnal esophageal acid exposure time and faster esophageal acid clearance compared with the supine and right lateral decubitus positions," concluded the authors. 

Reference:

Schuitenmaker, Jeroen M. MD; van Dijk, Mitch MD; Oude Nijhuis, Renske A.B. MD; Smout, André J.P.M. MD, PhD; Bredenoord, Albert J. MD, PhD Associations Between Sleep Position and Nocturnal Gastroesophageal Reflux: A Study Using Concurrent Monitoring of Sleep Position and Esophageal pH and Impedance, The American Journal of Gastroenterology: December 20, 2021 - Volume - Issue - 10.14309/ajg.0000000000001588 doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000001588