title: Epidemiology of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in Brazil (EpiGastro): a population-based study according to sex and age group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalences of symptoms consistent with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and dyspepsia in South America.
  
  
  METHODS
  A telephone survey was conducted among adult owners of land-based telephones in São Paulo, Brazil, using previously validated computer-assisted sampling and survey protocols. The Portuguese-language survey included (1) sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., weight, height, smoking) and comorbidities; (2) dietary habits; (3) presence of symptoms consistent with GERD or dyspepsia within the prior 3 mo; and (4) use of medications and other therapies to manage symptoms. Data were stratified post-hoc into three homogeneous geographical regions of São Paulo according to the Social Exclusion Indices of the districts and postal codes. Survey response data from each respondent were weighted by the numbers of adults and landline telephones in each household. The analyses were weighted to account for sampling design and to be representative of the São Paulo population according to city census data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 4570 households contacted, an adult from 3050 (66.7%) agreed to participate. The nonresponse rate was 33.3%. The mean (SE) respondent age was 42.6 (16.0) years. More than half of all respondents were women (53.1%), aged 18 through 49 years (66.7%), married or cohabitating (52.5%), and/or above normal-weight standards (i.e., 35.3% overweight and 16.3% obese). A total of 26.5% of women were perimenopausal. More than 20% of respondents reported highly frequent symptoms consistent with GERD (e.g., gastric burning sensation = 20.8%) or dyspepsia (e.g., abdominal swelling/distension = 20.9%) at least once per month. Prevalences of these symptoms were significantly (approximately 1.5- to 2.0-fold) higher among women than men but did not vary significantly as a function of advancing age. For instance, 14.1% of women reported that they experienced stomach burning (symptom of GERD) at least twice per week, compared to 8.4% of men (P = 0.012 by χ(2) test). A total of 15.7% of women reported that they experienced abdominal swelling (symptom of dyspepsia) at least twice per week, compared to 6.4% of men (P < 0.001 by χ(2) test). Despite frequent manifestations of GERD or dyspepsia, most (≥ 90%) respondents reported that they neither received prescription medications from physicians, nor took behavioral measures (e.g., dietary modifications), to manage symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Symptoms consistent with dyspepsia and GERD are prevalent in Brazil and represent major public-health and clinical challenges.
authors.affiliation: Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre, Aline Medeiros da Silva, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: do Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre
authors.affiliation: Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre, Aline Medeiros da Silva, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Medeiros da Silva
authors.affiliation: Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre, Aline Medeiros da Silva, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.
authors.forename: Décio
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chinzon
authors.affiliation: Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre, Aline Medeiros da Silva, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaime N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Eisig
authors.affiliation: Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre, Aline Medeiros da Silva, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil.
authors.forename: Telma R P
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Dias-Bastos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Dyspepsia; Epidemiology; Esophagus; Gastroesophageal reflux; Prevalence; Stomach