title: Prevalence and characteristics of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease in the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study prevalence and characteristics of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease in the elderly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey by questionnaire of stratified random sample.
  
  
  METHODS
  City of Turku, Finland.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based random sample consisting of non-institutionalized subjects aged 65 years or over. A questionnaire was sent to 559 subjects. The response rate was 92%. Twenty-nine incompletely filled forms were rejected. Thus, the questionnaires from 487 subjects, representing 87% of the original number, constitute the basis for the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The questionnaire inquired about the following symptoms: heartburn, regurgitation, chest pain, dysphagia, dyspepsia, respiratory symptoms, vomiting, and belching.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The age-adjusted prevalence of daily symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux disease was 8% in men and 15% in women (P < 0.05). Fifty-four percent of men and 66% of women reported that they had symptoms at least once a month (P < 0.05). The prevalence of symptoms was roughly the same across age groups. The occurrence of chest pain, dyspepsia, vomiting, belching, dysphagia, chronic cough, hoarseness, and wheezing were associated with symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptoms suggestive of gastroesophageal reflux disease are common in elderly subjects. Women suffer from these symptoms more frequently than men. Typical reflux symptoms are often associated with atypical complaints, such as abdominal symptoms, chest pain, or respiratory symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric Medicine, University of Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Räihä
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Impivaara
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seppälä
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Sourander
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires