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Survey on the prevalence of GERD and FD based on the Montreal definition and the Rome III criteria among patients presenting with epigastric symptoms in Japan

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Abstract

Background

The present survey aimed to clarify the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia (FD) in patients presenting with epigastric symptoms in Japan based on the Montreal definition and the Rome III criteria, respectively, and to determine the degree of overlap between the two disease entities and the validity of using these Western-developed diagnostic criteria in Japan.

Methods

Patients presenting with epigastric symptoms for whom the first upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was scheduled from April through August 2007 at 55 institutions were asked to complete a questionnaire to ascertain the type, frequency, and severity of epigastric symptoms. The prevalence of esophageal mucosal damage was also determined from endoscopic findings.

Results

A total of 1,076 patients were included in the analysis population. There was a high degree of coincidence for all symptoms, with the mean number of symptoms per patient of 2.8. With strict application of the Montreal and Rome III definitions, symptomatic GERD accounted for 15.6% (168 patients), whereas FD accounted for 10.3% (111 patients), and the overlap between GERD and FD symptoms was less than 10%. However, when frequency and severity alone were considered in more broadly defined criteria, the overlap between GERD and FD symptoms was 30–40%.

Conclusion

A highly specific disease classification is possible when the Montreal definition and the Rome III criteria are strictly applied. On the other hand, the present survey highlighted a problem with the criteria whereby a definitive diagnosis could not be made in a substantial number of patients. This problem will require further research.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by the GERD Society.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gastroenterology, Tohoku Rosai Hospital, 4-3-21 Dainohara, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi, 981-8563, Japan

    Shuichi Ohara

  2. Department of Surgery, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan

    Tatsuyuki Kawano

  3. Department of Endoscopy and Endoscopic Surgery, Gunma University Hospital, Gunma, Japan

    Motoyasu Kusano

  4. Department of Endoscopic Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Chiba University Hospital, Chiba, Japan

    Teruo Kouzu

Authors
  1. Shuichi Ohara
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  2. Tatsuyuki Kawano
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  3. Motoyasu Kusano
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  4. Teruo Kouzu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Shuichi Ohara.

Additional information

This work is dedicated to the late Dr. Teruo Kouzu, one of the authors.

The following people contributed to this work

The following people contributed to this work

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Table 8 Institutions and physicians contributed to this survey
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Ohara, S., Kawano, T., Kusano, M. et al. Survey on the prevalence of GERD and FD based on the Montreal definition and the Rome III criteria among patients presenting with epigastric symptoms in Japan. J Gastroenterol 46, 603–611 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-011-0382-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-011-0382-1

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