Yonsei Med J.  2017 Jul;58(4):743-748. 10.3349/ymj.2017.58.4.743.

Central Obesity as a Risk Factor for Non-Erosive Reflux Disease

• Kim KJ
• Lee BS

• KMID: 2419079
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2017.58.4.743

Abstract

PURPOSE
Although central obesity is a risk factor for erosive esophagitis, information regarding the association between central obesity and non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) is still scarce. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors for NERD by comparing NERD patients and healthy controls.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Comprehensive clinical data from 378 patients who underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy from December 2012 to May 2013 and had no visible esophageal mucosal breakage were analyzed. The Korean version of GerdQ questionnaire was used to diagnose NERD. The association between central obesity and NERD was assessed after matching subjects according to propensity scores.
RESULTS
There were 119 NERD patients and 259 controls. In multivariate analysis, central obesity, female gender, and younger age were significantly associated with NERD [odds ratio (OR)=2.55, 1.93, and 1.80; p=0.001, 0.005, and 0.011, respectively]. After adjusting for 12 clinical variables using propensity score matching, 114 NERD patients were matched to 114 controls. All variables were well balanced between the two groups (average D before matching: 0.248, after matching: 0.066). Patients with NERD were more likely to have central obesity than healthy controls (28.1% vs. 7.9%). After adjusting for propensity scores and all covariates in multivariable logistic regression analyses, central obesity was still found to be a significant risk factor for NERD (OR=4.55, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION
Central obesity appears to be an independent risk factor for NERD. This result supports the presence of an association between GERD and central obesity, even in the absence of esophageal erosion (NERD).

Keyword

Central obesity; gastroesophageal reflux; risk factor

MeSH Terms

Demography
Endoscopy, Digestive System
Female
Gastroesophageal Reflux/*etiology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Obesity, Abdominal/*complications
Propensity Score
Risk Factors
Surveys and Questionnaires

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