Changing prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux... : Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology (original) (raw)

Longitudinal study in an Asian population

SHEN L LIM
WEE TECK GOH
JEN-MAI J LEE
TZE PIN NG
KHEK-YU HO

Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology

(

)

995

1001

July 2005

Background

The purpose of the present paper was to study previously obtained population-based data on the prevalence of reflux symptoms in a random sample of community adults in Singapore. This sample was re-investigated 5 years later to determine changes in the prevalence of reflux symptoms.

Methods

In 1999, 237 (34%) of the original cohort of 696 persons who were interviewed in 1994, were re-interviewed using a validated Gastrointestinal Symptoms Questionnaire. The original cohort was a race-stratified random sample of residents in a Singaporean town. Reflux was defined as heartburn and/or acid regurgitation occurring at least once a month.

Results

Among the 237 respondents (aged 25–89 years; male: female, 49:51; Chinese n = 106, 45%; Malay n = 69, 29%; Indian n = 60, 25%), reflux was reported by 25 respondents, giving a prevalence of 10.5 ± 2.0%. This compared with the prevalence of 5.5 ± 1.5% (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0–5.2; P = 0.05) among the same 237 respondents in the 1994 survey. Of the 25 subjects who reported reflux in the current survey, 22 (88.0%) did not complain of reflux symptoms in the 1994 survey. The ethnic-adjusted prevalence of reflux in 1999 was estimated to be 9.9 ± 1.9%. This was an increase above the prevalence in 1994 of 1.6 ± 1.0% (P = 0.051). The upward trend in the prevalence of reflux was not related to age, smoking, alcohol consumption, or increase in bodyweight.

Conclusions

There is a rising trend of reflux symptoms frequency in the general population of Singapore over a 5-year period.