Evaluations of Life Style Factors and the Severity of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease; a Case-control Study

The incidence of Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has increased remarkably worldwide. This study focuses on the background features of these patients and evaluates the two GERD sub types; none erosive (NERD) and erosive (ERD). In a case-control study, patients with reflux symptoms who had obtained a total score of 8-18 of the GERD questionnaire were included. Control group consisted of their families with lower scores and no reflux presentations. All demographic features were recorded. Then upper GI endoscopy performed and the cases divided into two sub groups: NERD and ERD. In the next step, all demographic data analyzed for these two subgroups. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software version 21. A number of 210 subjects included in each group (210 patients with GERD and 210 control group) with normal statistical distribution of age and gender. There was a significant relationship between GERD and BMI (P=0.001), eating fatty foods (P=0.0001), lying after meal (P=0.0001), drinking beverages with meal (0.0001), eating spicy food (0.006) and NSAIDs use (P=0.0001). Then the cases divided into two subgroups; NERD (n=146) and ERD (n=64). There were a significant relationship with eating salty-smoky food (P=0.005) and eating spicy food (P=0.011). The difference of BMI between NERD and ERD was remarkable but was not statistically significant. Our results showed that obesity is an important risk factor for GERD. Other possible risk factors such as NSAIDs use and certain foods and wrong habits like lying after meal should be addressed in future longitudinal surveys.