Outpatient visit frequency in patients with overlapping non-erosive reflux disease and epigastric pain syndrome: A multicenter study

Table 2 Univariable analysis of factors associated with gastroenterology clinic visit frequency

Variables	Statistical method (U/H/ρ)	P value
Age	0.271	< 0.001
Sex	71866.502	0.27
BMI	-0.031	0.42
Occupational category	25.893	< 0.01
Education level	6.223	0.04
Primary residence	34345.502	0.28
Marital status	42422.502	< 0.01
Smoking history	41709.502	0.14
Drinking history	73831.002	0.31
History of intestinal inflammation	31924.002	0.08
History of abdominal surgery	24378.502	0.14
Disease duration of NERD	0.141	< 0.001
Disease duration of EPS	0.001	0.96
Comorbidity
Chronic pharyngitis	44300.002	< 0.001
Cardiovascular diseases	33179.502	< 0.01
Endocrine and metabolic diseases	42482.502	0.01
Triggering factors
Dietary discomfort	62988.502	0.92
Weather variation	65791.002	0.73
Physical fatigue	65318.002	0.12
Emotional stress	77004.502	0.33
Medication classes (past 3 months)
PPIs	66776.502	< 0.01
Histamine H2-receptor antagonists	14127.002	0.10
Prokinetics	25797.502	< 0.01
Mucosal protectives	33508.002	< 0.01
Probiotics	22819.502	< 0.01
Chinese herbal medicine	39091.002	< 0.001
GERD-Q	0.091	0.01
PHQ-4	0.131	< 0.001
PHQ-15	0.131	< 0.001
SRSS	0.171	< 0.001
GSRS	0.151	< 0.001

¹Spearman’s correlation coefficient.

²Mann-Whitney U test.

³Kruskal-Wallis H test.

BMI: Body mass index; NERD: Non-erosive reflux disease; EPS: Epigastric pain syndrome; PPIs: Proton pump inhibitors; GERD-Q: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire; PHQ: Patient Health Questionnaire; SRSS: Self-Rating Scale of Sleep; GSRS: Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale.