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The Relationship Between the Prevalence of Nighttime Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Disease Severity

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Abstract

Background

Nighttime gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD) prevalence and severity estimates vary substantially across studies.

Methods

We assessed nighttime GERD (NTG) prevalence and symptom frequency and severity through a web survey of US adults, using the GERD Symptom and Medication Questionnaire (GERD-SMQ), a validated symptom questionnaire. NTG was based on episodes of nighttime heartburn per week and time of occurrence. Symptom severity and impact were assessed and compared for GERD cases with and without NTG.

Results

GERD prevalence among respondents (n = 2,603) was 27%. Forty-five percent of symptomatic GERD respondents had NTG. Among respondents with both daytime and nighttime symptoms, 51% reported that nighttime symptoms were more bothersome. NTG respondents reported greater disease severity compared with those without (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

NTG symptoms are very common among those identified with GERD. People with nighttime symptoms have greater disease severity than those with exclusively or primarily daytime symptoms.

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Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Bonnie B. Dean.

Additional information

Dr. Dean had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Statement of Interests

Statement of Interests

Authors’ Declaration of Personal Interests

  1. (i)

    Dr. Fass has served as a consultant, speaker, or member of an advisory board, or has received research funding from Wyeth, AstraZeneca, Altana, Takeda, Eisai, Xenoport, Procter & Gamble, Vecta, Addex, and GlaxoSmithKline. Dr. McGuigan has served as a speaker, a consultant, and an advisory board member for Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, and has received research funding from Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Johnson has served as a consultant or member of an advisory board, or has received research funding from Wyeth, AstraZeneca, Santarus, and Tap Pharmaceutical Companies. Dr. Orr has served as a consultant or member of an advisory board or speaker’s bureau for Wyeth, AstraZeneca, Santarus, and TAP.

  2. (ii)

    Dr. Morgenstern is an employee of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Yan was an employee of Wyeth Pharmaceuticals at the time of drafting this manuscript. Messrs. Aguilar and Calimlim and Drs. Dubois and Dean are employees of Cerner LifeSciences, a consulting company that provides services to the pharmaceutical industry.

  3. (iii)

    Drs. Morgenstern and Yan own stocks and shares in Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

Declaration of Funding Interests

  1. (i)

    This study was funded in full by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

  2. (ii)

    The writing or preparation of this paper was funded in full by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals.

  3. (iii)

    Initial data analyses were undertaken by no one besides the authors, affiliated and funded as stated above.

  4. (iv)

    Writing support was provided by no one besides the authors, affiliated and funded as stated above.

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Dean, B.B., Aguilar, D., Johnson, L.F. et al. The Relationship Between the Prevalence of Nighttime Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Disease Severity. Dig Dis Sci 55, 952–959 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-009-0885-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-009-0885-2

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