title: Onset and disappearance of reflux symptoms in a Chinese population: a 1-year follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The natural history of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in Asian population has not been studied before.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the onset and disappearances of reflux symptoms over a 1-year period in the Chinese population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A population-based telephone survey was performed in 2002 and repeated 1 year later. The change in prevalence rate, onset and disappearance of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, and the change in diagnoses were assessed. Factors associated with the onset and disappearance of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 712 subjects completed the first and second survey. The annual, monthly and weekly prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease were 34.1%, 10.1% and 2.7% respectively. The onset rate (per 1000 person-year) and disappearance rate of any gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and frequent gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (> or = monthly symptoms) were 209, 40; and 395, 243 respectively. Forty-four percentage of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease subjects changed their diagnoses in 2003. By multiple logistic regression analysis, high anxiety score (OR: 1.2, 95% CI: 1.1-1.2) and higher educational level (OR: 2.7, 95% CI: 1.3-6.3) were associated with the onset of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease; while the frequency of acid regurgitation (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70) and use of antisecretory therapy (OR: 0.50, 95% CI: 0.28-0.89) were associated with the disappearance of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is stable over 1 year. Higher anxiety score and higher educational level were associated with the onset of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, while lower frequency of reflux symptoms and infrequent use of antisecretory therapy were associated with the disappearance of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in a Chinese population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Hui
authors.forename: J Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: H H X
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: W H C
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: C L K
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: B C Y
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis