title: Gastroesophageal reflux disease burden in Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastroesophageal reflux disease is one of the most common disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. The prevalence of this disease ranges from 5% to 20% in Asia, Europe, and North America. The aim of this study was to estimate the burden of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Burden of gastroesophageal reflux disease in Iran was estimated for one year from 21 March 2006 to 20 March 2007. The definition was adjusted with ICD-code of K21. Incident-based disability-adjusted life year (DALY) was used as the unit of analysis to quantify disease burden. A simplified disease model and DisMod II software were used for modeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The annual incidence for total population of males and females in Iran was estimated 17.72 and 28.06 per 1000, respectively. The average duration of gastroesophageal reflux disease as a chronic condition was estimated around 10 years in both sexes. Total DALYs for an average of 59 symptomatic days per year was estimated 153,554.3 (60,330.8 for males and 93,223.5 for females).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study showed that reflux imposes high burden and high financial costs on the Iranian population. The burden of this disease in Iran is more similar to that of European countries rather than Asian countries. It is recommended to consider the disease as a public health problem and make decisions and public health plans to reduce the burden and financial costs of the disease in Iran.
authors: Associated Professor of Internal Medicine, Digestive Disease Research center, Shariati Hospital, Tehran university Of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. moradi_gh@yahoo.com.
authors: Alireza
authors: A
authors: Delavari
authors: Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, Kurdistan Research Center for Social Determinants of Health (KRCSDH), Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences, Sanandaj, Iran.
authors: Ghobad
authors: G
authors: Moradi
authors: Department of Observatory on Health and Health System, National Institute of Health Research, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Elham
authors: E
authors: Elahi
authors: Associated Professor, Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease Research Center (GILDRC), Department of Community Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors: Maziar
authors: M
authors: Moradi-Lakeh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011634:Public Health; D019057:Quality-Adjusted Life Years; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult