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Observational Study
Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026.
World J Gastroenterol. Jul 28, 2026; 32(28): 119326
Published online Jul 28, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.119326
Table 1 Baseline sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of study patients with non-erosive reflux disease and epigastric pain syndrome overlap, n (%)
Variables
All patients (n = 800)
Demographic characteristics
Age, years45
Sex (male)300 (33.33)
BMI22.46
Occupational category
Manual labor191 (23.88)
Mental labor417 (52.13)
Mixed labor192 (24.00)
Education level
Primary school41 (5.13)
Secondary school281 (35.13)
Tertiary education478 (59.75)
Primary residence
Urban695 (86.88)
Rural105 (13.13)
Marital status (yes)597 (74.63)
Clinical characteristics
Smoking history (yes)135 (16.88)
Drinking history (yes)319 (39.88)
History of intestinal inflammation (yes)101 (12.63)
History of abdominal surgery (yes)74 (9.25)
Disease duration, months
NERD17
EPS12
Triggering factors
Dietary discomfort583 (72.88)
Weather variation237 (29.63)
Physical fatigue255 (31.88)
Emotional stress382 (47.75)
Comorbidity
Chronic pharyngitis168 (21.00)
Cardiovascular diseases139 (17.38)
Endocrine and metabolic diseases148 (18.50)
Medication classes (past 3 months)
PPIs327 (40.88)
Histamine H2-receptor antagonists43 (5.38)
Prokinetics88 (11.00)
Mucosal protectives117 (14.63)
Probiotics78 (9.75)
Chinese herbal preparations555 (69.38)
Outpatient visits (past 3 months)
1-2 times461 (57.63)
3-4 times168 (21.00)
≥ 5 times171 (21.38)
Scale scores
GERD-Q8
PHQ-4
Asymptomatic (0-2)421 (52.63)
Mild (3-5)242 (30.25)
Moderate (6-8)109 (13.63)
Severe (9-12)28 (3.50)
PHQ-15
Asymptomatic (0-4)205 (25.63)
Mild (5-9)278 (34.75)
Moderate (10-14)204 (25.50)
Severe (15-30)113 (14.13)
SRSS
Asymptomatic (10-19)263 (32.88)
Mild (20-29)357 (44.63)
Moderate (30-39)158 (19.75)
Severe (40-50)22 (2.75)
GSRS
Mild (15-30)336 (42.00)
Moderate (31-45)308 (38.50)
Severe (46-60)126 (15.75)
Very severe (> 60)30 (3.75)


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