Asthma and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) are both common illnesses in children. GER in children often occurs without the typical symptoms of heartburn, and physicians frequently prescribe the acid reflux drug lansoprazole to supplement the standard inhaled steroid treatment for children with uncontrolled asthma regardless of GER symptoms. However, a randomized clinic trial conducted by the American Lung Association’s Asthma Clinical Group found that the addition of lansoprazole does not improve asthma symptoms or the control of asthma in children and may increase the risk for upper respiratory infections and other adverse events. Results of the study appear in the January 25 issue of JAMA.
Lansoprazole belongs to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) that reduce acid in the stomach. Use of these drugs, including for the treatment of asthma symptoms, has risen dramatically in children over the last decade.
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