title: Frequency distribution of gastro esophageal reflux disease in inhalation injury: A historical cohort study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is no data on the prevalence and the association of gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) with toxic fume inhalation. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the frequency distribution of GERD symptoms among the individuals with mild respiratory disorder due to the past history of toxic fume exposure to sulfur mustard (SM).
  
  
  METHODS
  In a historical cohort study, subjects were randomly selected from 7000 patients in a database of all those who had a history of previous exposure to a single high dose of SM gas during war. The control group was randomly selected from adjacent neighbors of the patients, and two healthy male subjects were chosen per patient. In this study, we used the validated Persian translation of Mayo Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire to assess the frequency distribution of reflux disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative frequency of GERD symptoms, was found to be significantly higher in the inhalation injury patients with an odds ratio of 8.30 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.73-14.55), and after adjustment for cigarette smoking, tea consumption, age, and body mass index, aspirin and chronic cough the odds ratio was found to be 4.41 (95% CI: 1.61-12.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most important finding of our study was the major GERD symptoms (heartburn and/or acid regurgitation once or more per week) among the individuals with the past history of exposure to SM toxic gas is substantially higher (4.4-fold) than normal populations.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ashraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karbasi
authors.affiliation: Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran ; Department of Pulmonary, Shariati Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Rasoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aliannejad
authors.affiliation: Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghanei
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shahid Behashti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehran Noory
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Sanamy
authors.affiliation: Chemical Injuries Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Farshid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Alaeddini
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shahid Behashti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ali Amini
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Harandi
keywords: Frequency; gastro esophageal reflux disease; inhalation injury; mustard gas