Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2012; 18(36): 5090-5095
Published online Sep 28, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i36.5090
Impact of body mass index and gender on quality of life in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease
Shou-Wu Lee, Han-Chung Lien, Chi-Sen Chang, Yen-Chun Peng, Chung-Wang Ko, Ming-Chih Chou
Shou-Wu Lee, Ming-Chih Chou, Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40242, Taiwan, China
Shou-Wu Lee, Han-Chung Lien, Chi-Sen Chang, Yen-Chun Peng, Chung-Wang Ko, Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 40242, Taiwan, China
Shou-Wu Lee, Chi-Sen Chang, Ming-Chih Chou, Department of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung 40242, Taiwan, China
Han-Chung Lien, Yen-Chun Peng, Chung-Wang Ko, Department of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung 40242, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: Lee SW and Chou MC contributed equally to this work; Lee SW, Lien HC and Chang CS designed the research; Peng YC and Ko CW performed the research; Lee SW, Lien HC and Chang CS analyzed the data; and Lee SW and Chou MC wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Dr. Ming-Chih Chou, Department of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, 110, Section 1, Chien Kuo North Road, Taichung 40242, Taiwan, China. eric2248836@yahoo.com.tw
Telephone: +886-4-23592525 Fax: +886-4-23741331
Received: February 21, 2012
Revised: May 14, 2012
Accepted: May 26, 2012
Published online: September 28, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the symptom presentation and quality of life in obese Chinese patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

METHODS: Data from patients diagnosed with GERD according to the Montreal definition, were collected between January 2009 to March 2010. The enrolled patients were assigned to the normal [body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m2], overweight (25-30 kg/m2), and obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2) groups. General demographic data, endoscopic findings, and quality of life of the three groups of patients were analyzed and compared.

RESULTS: Among the 173 enrolled patients, 102, 56 and 15 patients were classified in the normal, overweight, and obese, respectively. There was significantly more erosive esophagitis (73.3% vs 64.3% vs 39.2%, P = 0.002), hiatal hernia (60% vs 33.9% vs 16.7%, P = 0.001), and males (73.3% vs 73.2% vs 32.4%, P = 0.001) in the obese cases. The severity and frequency of heartburn, not acid regurgitation, was positively correlated with BMI, with a significant association in men, but not in women. Obese patients were prone to have low quality of life scores, with obese women having the lowest scores for mental health.

CONCLUSION: In patients with GERD, obese men had the most severe endoscopic and clinical presentation. Obese women had the poorest mental health.

Keywords: Gastroesophageal reflux disease; Gender; Heartburn; Life’s quality; Obesity