Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms and associated risk factors among medical students, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Mohamed Magdi Atta,1,2 Mohamed Hisham Sayed,3,4 Mohamed A Zayed,5,6 Sultan A Alsulami,1 Ahmed T Al-Maghrabi,1 Abdulhfeez Y Kelantan11Department of Medicine, Rabigh Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Hepatology, Gastroenterology and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt; 3Department of Pediatrics, Rabigh Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; 5Department of Physiology, Rabigh Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; 6Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Shibīn Al Koum, EgyptCorrespondence: Mohamed A ZayedFaculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdulaziz University, building 13, P.O. BOX 80205, Jeddah 21589, Saudi ArabiaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [email protected] and aims: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common gastrointestinal disease worldwide that is associated with impaired quality of life and higher risk of complications. The identification of risk factors is necessary for preventive measures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of GERD symptoms as well as its relation to body mass index (BMI) and other risk factors among medical students of Jeddah and Rabigh branches, King Abdul-Aziz University, Saudi Arabia.Subjects and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine in Rabigh, King Abdul-Aziz University, Saudi Arabia. The study included 197 medical students from Rabigh and Jeddah branches of the university. The study employed a Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire which is derived from a self-administered validated GERD questionnaire (GerdQ).Results: The prevalence of GERD symptoms was 25.9%. The most frequent symptoms were regurgitation and burning sensation. High BMI, family history, energy drinks and fried food were found to be statistically significant risk factors (p<0.05) by univariate analysis. However, the logistic regression for the prediction of GERD symptoms among medical students showed that only family history had a significant correlation (p<0.05).Conclusion: GERD symptoms were common in medical students of King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia. Family history was found to be a significant predictor of GERD symptoms. Effective educational strategies for groups with significant risk factors of GERD need to be implemented.Keywords: GERD, risk factors, medical students

Keywords

• GERD
• risk factors
• medical students.