Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in moscow: results of a population study

Aim. To study prevalence of the principal symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in Moscow. Material and methods. A total of 1065 respondents aged 15-85 years (a random representative sample of population of one of the typical Moscow districts) participated in a questionnaire survey using the international questionnaire for detection of GERD incidence. Results. Epigastric burning (EB) occurs in 39.6% examinees. GERD prevalence is 14.2%. Subjects with EB have the following symptoms of GERD: regurgitation (66.3%), epigastric pain (discomfort) (53.0%), nausea (43.6%), vomiting (23.2%), dysphagia (20.6%), chest pain (18.0%), odinophagia (5.5%), singultus (4.6%). There is a direct correlation between incidence rate of EB, height, body mass index, number of alcohol excesses and smoked sigarettes. Conclusion. EB occurs in both young and aged men and women with similar frequency. Significant differences were detected only in the age group 45-59 years in which EB is more frequent in women. All the symptoms excluding cough and singultus were seen in women significantly more frequently. With age, these differences disappeared but noncardial pain in the chest that was less frequent in the elderly. Muscovites with GERD symptoms are older (61.26 ± 13.47 years) than those without such symptoms (58.44 ± 16.28, p < 0.0001).

gastroesophageal reflux disease, epidemiology, epidemiological survey, detectability, prevalenc