Gender peculiarities of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Abstract

We studied gender-specific clinical manifestations and risk factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the urban population of Ulan-Ude. The study included 352 patients with GERD. It was found that in both sexes prevailed not erosive reflux disease. It was detected in 64,2% of men and in 88% of women (p = 0,005). Men significantly more often had severe forms of the disease: erosive esophagitis - 19,8% more often than in women (p = 0,04), in 2,9% of men we revealed esophageal ulcers, in 1,1% - Barrett esophagus, while the in women didn't have these forms of the disease. Daily repeated heartburn was found in women twice more often than in men. Average grade of GERD-Q questionnaire for women was also significantly higher than for men by 19% (p = 0,04). Women had higher levels of anxiety and depression (average grade on BDI was higher by 29% than in men). Men had significantly more frequently such risk factors as smoking, alcohol intake and women more often had diabetes, hypertension and coronary heart disease.

Keywords

• gastroesophageal reflux disease
• nonerosive reflux disease
• erosive esophagitis
• gender differences
• risk factors