title: Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease in a country with a high occurrence ofHelicobacter pylori.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with additional symptoms, relationship withHelicobacter pylori(H.pylori) of this country-wide study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 3214 adults were obtained with validated questionnaire. Eight hundred and forty-one subjects were randomized to be tested forH.pylori viathe urea breath test. "Frequent symptoms" were defined heartburn and/or regurgitation occurring at least weekly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of GERD was 22.8%, frequent and occasional heartburn were 9.3%-12.7%, regurgitation were 16.6%-18.7%, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) ≤ 18.5 showed a prevalence of 15%, BMI > 30 was 28.5%. The GERD prevalence was higher in women (26.2%) than men (18.9%) (P< 0001). Overall prevalence ofH.pyloriwas 75.7%. The prevalence was 77.1% in subjects without symptomsvs71.4% in subjects with GERD (χ2= 2.6,P= 0.27). Underprivileged with the lowest income people exhibit a higher risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GERD is common in Turkey which reflects both Western and Eastern lifestyles with high rate ofH.pylori. The presence ofH.pylorihad no effect on either the prevalence or the symptom profile of GERD. Subjects showing classical symptoms occasionally exhibit more additional symptoms compared with those without classical symptoms.
authors.affiliation: Serhat Bor, Section of Gastroenterology, Ege Reflux Group, Ege University, Izmir 35040, Turkey.
authors.forename: Serhat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bor
authors.affiliation: Serhat Bor, Section of Gastroenterology, Ege Reflux Group, Ege University, Izmir 35040, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kitapcioglu
authors.affiliation: Serhat Bor, Section of Gastroenterology, Ege Reflux Group, Ege University, Izmir 35040, Turkey.
authors.forename: Elmas
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kasap
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D006356:Heartburn / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014508:Urea
keywords: Epidemiology; Gastroesophageal reflux disease; Heartburn; Prevalence; Regurgitation