Foods Inducing Typical Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Symptoms in Korea.
OBJECTIVE
Several specific foods are known to precipitate gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and GERD patients are usually advised to avoid such foods. However, foods consumed daily are quite variable according to regions, cultures, etc. This study was done to elucidate the food items which induce typical GERD symptoms in Korean patients.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty-six Korean patients with weekly typical GERD symptoms were asked to mark all food items that induced typical GERD symptoms from a list containing 152 typical foods consumed daily in Korea. All patients underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy followed by 24-hour ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring. The definition of "GERD" was if either of the 2 studies revealed evidence of GERD, and "possible GERD" if both studies were negative.


RESULTS
One hundred and twenty-six cases (51 GERD and 75 possible GERD) were enrolled. In 19 (37.3%) of 51 GERD cases and in 17 (22.7%) of 75 possible GERD cases, foods inducing typical GERD symptoms were identified. In the GERD group (n = 19), frequent symptom-inducers were hot spicy stews, rice cakes, ramen noodles, fried foods, and topokki. In the possible GERD group (n = 17), frequent symptom-inducers were hot spicy stews, fried foods, doughnuts, breads, ramen noodles, coffee, pizza, topokki, rice cakes, champon noodles, and hotdogs.


CONCLUSIONS
In one-third of GERD patients, foods inducing typical symptoms were identified. Hot spicy stews, rice cakes, ramen noodles, fried foods, and topokki were the foods frequently inducing typical symptoms in Korea. The list of foods frequently inducing typical GERD symptoms needs to be modified based on their own local experiences.
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Jung Wan
JW
Choe
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Moon Kyung
MK
Joo
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Hyo Jung
HJ
Kim
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Beom Jae
BJ
Lee
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Ji Hoon
JH
Kim
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Jong Eun
JE
Yeon
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Jong-Jae
JJ
Park
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Jae Seon
JS
Kim
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Kwan Soo
KS
Byun
Department of Gastroenterology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
Young-Tae
YT
Bak
Food; Gastroesophageal reflux; Korea; Symptom assessment