A view of gastroesophageal reflux disease: Non- specific symptoms

Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the frequency of non- specific symptoms of gastro esophageal reflux and association of these symptoms with Gastro esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Iranian population. Background: GERD is a common gastrointestinal disorder, worldwide. Some patients with GERD have no symptoms while others may have non-specific symptoms. Patients and methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional and population based evaluation that was conducted on 782 cases that selected by random sampling in northeast region of Tehran province. Relation between non-specific symptoms and GERD was assessed using ?2 test. The odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI were calculated for each symptom. Results: Most common non-specific symptom in subjects under study, was abdominal pain with a female preponderance. Abdominal pain, globus sensation, cough & dyspnea, and halitosis were statistically associated to GERD. There was no relationship between age and non-specific symptoms. Conclusion: In summary, this study showed that non-specific symptoms are common in our country that strongly related to gastro esophageal reflux disease, therefore, these symptoms should be considered as a basic in diagnostic procedure.