Clinical Research
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 7, 2008; 14(9): 1358-1364
Published online Mar 7, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.1358
Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux symptoms in a large unselected general population in Japan
Hatsushi Yamagishi, Tomoyuki Koike, Shuichi Ohara, Shigeyuki Kobayashi, Ken Ariizumi, Yasuhiko Abe, Katsunori Iijima, Akira Imatani, Yoshifumi Inomata, Katsuaki Kato, Daisuke Shibuya, Shigemitsu Aida, Tooru Shimosegawa
Hatsushi Yamagishi, Tomoyuki Koike, Shuichi Ohara, Shigeyuki Kobayashi, Ken Ariizumi, Yasuhiko Abe, Katsunori Iijima, Akira Imatani, Tooru Shimosegawa, Division of Gastroenterology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai City, Japan
Yoshifumi Inomata, Katsuaki Kato, Daisuke Shibuya, Miyagi Cancer Society, Sendai City, Japan
Shigemitsu Aida, Department of Gastroenterology Sendai City Hospital, Sendai city, Japan
Author contributions: Yamagishi H, Koike T and Ohara S designed the research; Yamagishi H, Koike T, Ohara S, Kobayashi S, Ariizumi K, Abe Y, Iijima K, Imatani A, Inomata Y, Kato K, Shibuya D, Aida S and Shimosegawa T performed the research; Yamagishi H, Koike T and Ohara S analyzed the data; and Yamagishi H, Koike T and Ohara S wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Hatsushi Yamagishi, MD, Division of Gastroenterology Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1 Seiryou-Machi, Aobaku, Sendai 980-8574, Japan. hatsushi@f2.dion.ne.jp
Telephone: +81-22-7177171
Fax: +81-22-7177177
Received: September 10, 2007
Revised: November 25, 2007
Published online: March 7, 2008
Abstract

AIM: To examine the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms in a large unselected general population in Japan.

METHODS: In Japan, mature adults are offered regular check-ups for the prevention of gastric cancer. A notice was sent by mail to all inhabitants aged > 40 years. A total of 160 983 Japanese (60 774 male, 100 209 female; mean age 61.9 years) who underwent a stomach check up were enrolled in this study. In addition, from these 160 983 subjects, we randomly selected a total of 82 894 (34 275 male, 48 619 female; mean age 62.4 years) to evaluate the prevalence of abdominal pain. The respective subjects were prospectively asked to complete questionnaires concerning the symptoms of heartburn, dysphagia, and abdominal pain for a 1 mo period.

RESULTS: The respective prevalences of the symptoms in males and females were: heartburn, 15.8% vs 20.7%; dysphagia, 5.4% vs 7.8%; and abdominal pain, 6.6% vs 9.6%. Among these symptoms, heartburn was significantly high compared with the other symptoms, and the prevalence of heartburn was significantly more frequent in females than in males in the 60-89-year age group. Dysphagia was also significantly more frequent in female patients.

CONCLUSION: The prevalence of typical GERD symptoms (heartburn) was high, at about 20% of the Japan population, and the frequency was especially high in females in the 60-89 year age group.

Keywords: Gastroesophageal reflux disease; Heartburn; Dysphagia; Abdominal pain