title: Relationship between atrial fibrillation and gastroesophageal reflux disease: a multicenter questionnaire survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF) and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains controversial, and investigations into this relationship have been based on small series. This multicenter survey evaluated the relationship between these diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study enrolled 188 consecutive subjects (110 males and 78 females, mean age 60.4 ± 0.9 years) treated as outpatients. Patients were classified by the frequency scale for symptoms of GERD (F-scale) after obtaining informed consent for screening for GERD. Scores on this questionnaire were correlated to baseline characteristics obtained from medical records. The cutoff value for a diagnosis of GERD was set at 8.0 points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total scores on the F-scale were significantly greater in female subjects (p = 0.004) and in patients with AF (p = 0.019) compared to the other subjects. Univariate and multivariate analysis of the prevalence of GERD demonstrated that GERD was not related to gender, hypertension, dyslipidemia or coronary artery disease and that AF alone showed a significant (p < 0.001) correlation with GERD.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This multicenter questionnaire survey demonstrated that among traditional cardiovascular risk factors, AF was an independent risk factor for GERD. A large cohort study to assess the potential relationship between GERD and AF is warranted.
authors: Department of Medicine, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors: Hideki
authors: H
authors: Shimazu
authors: Gen
authors: G
authors: Nakaji
authors: Mitsuhiro
authors: M
authors: Fukata
authors: Keita
authors: K
authors: Odashiro
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Maruyama
authors: Koichi
authors: K
authors: Akashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000150:complications; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires