Five-year follow-up study of patients with reflux symptoms and reflux esophagitis in annual medical check-up field.
OBJECTIVE
To clarify changes in the prevalence of reflux symptoms and reflux esophagitis over a period of 5 years.


METHODS
Five hundred thirty-nine study subjects (male: 408, mean age 47.3 years) were assessed using a reflux symptom questionnaire and endoscopic examinations conducted twice, 5 years apart.


RESULTS
At enrollment, 88 patients had reflux symptoms and 44 had reflux esophagitis (RE). After 5 years, 58 and 53 patients were diagnosed as having reflux symptoms and RE, respectively. Only 26% of the patients with reflux symptoms at enrollment had the symptoms after 5 years. The presence of reflux symptoms and an increase of BMI were significant risk factors for the presence of reflux symptoms after 5 years.


CONCLUSIONS
Reflux symptoms frequently disappear after 5 years. It is difficult to identify individuals who will still have symptoms after 5 years on the basis of clinical characteristics.
Azumi
Takane
T
The Second Department of Internal Medicine, Shimane University, School of Medicine, Izumo.
Adachi
Kyoichi
K
Arima
Noriyuki
N
Tanaka
Shino
S
Yagi
Junko
J
Koshino
Kenji
K
Miki
Masaharu
M
Furuta
Kenji
K
Kinoshita
Yoshikazu
Y
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors