title: Gastroesophageal reflux in asymptomatic obese subjects: An esophageal impedance-pH study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between reflux and body mass index (BMI) in the asymptomatic obese population using the impedance-pH technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gastroesophageal reflux is frequent in the obese population. However, the relationship between acid reflux and BMI in asymptomatic obese people is unclear. Forty-six obese (BMI > 25 kg/m(2)) people were enrolled in this prospective study. We evaluated the demographic findings and 24-h impedance pH values of the whole group. Gas, acid (pH < 4), weak acid (pH = 4-7) and weak alkaline (pH ≥ 7) reflux parameters were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of patients was 49.47 ± 12.24 years, and half of them were men. The mean BMI was 30.64 ± 3.95 kg/m(2) (25.14-45.58 kg/m(2)). BMI of 23 was over 30 kg/m(2). Seventeen patients had a comorbidity (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, or ischemic heart disease). Endoscopic examination revealed esophagitis in 13 of the 28 subjects (10 Grade A, 3 Grade B). The subjects were divided into two groups according to BMI (< 30 and > 30 kg/m(2)). Demographic and endoscopic findings, and impedance results were similar in these two groups. However, there was a positive correlation between BMI and total and supine pH < 4 episodes (P = 0.002, r = 0.414; P = 0.000, r = 0.542), pH < 4 reflux time (P = 0.015, r = 0.319; P = 0.003, r = 0.403), and DeMeester score (P = 0.012, r = 0.333).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Acid reflux is correlated with BMI in asymptomatic obese individuals.
authors.affiliation: Filiz Akyüz, Serpil Arıcı, Bülent Baran, Binnur Pinarbasi, Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Filiz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akyüz
authors.affiliation: Filiz Akyüz, Serpil Arıcı, Bülent Baran, Binnur Pinarbasi, Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uyanıkoglu
authors.affiliation: Filiz Akyüz, Serpil Arıcı, Bülent Baran, Binnur Pinarbasi, Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ermis
authors.affiliation: Filiz Akyüz, Serpil Arıcı, Bülent Baran, Binnur Pinarbasi, Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serpil
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arıcı
authors.affiliation: Filiz Akyüz, Serpil Arıcı, Bülent Baran, Binnur Pinarbasi, Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ümit
authors.initials: Ü
authors.lastname: Akyüz
authors.affiliation: Filiz Akyüz, Serpil Arıcı, Bülent Baran, Binnur Pinarbasi, Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Bülent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.affiliation: Filiz Akyüz, Serpil Arıcı, Bülent Baran, Binnur Pinarbasi, Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Binnur
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pinarbasi
authors.affiliation: Filiz Akyüz, Serpil Arıcı, Bülent Baran, Binnur Pinarbasi, Division of Gastroenterohepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University, 34390 Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nurdan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gul
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015897:Comorbidity; D017097:Electric Impedance; D050782:Esophageal pH Monitoring; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000209:etiology; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D056888:Patient Positioning; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016683:Supine Position
keywords: 24-h pH-metry; Body mass index; Impedance; Obesity; Reflux