Copyright
©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2014; 20(46): 17388-17398
Published online Dec 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i46.17388
Published online Dec 14, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i46.17388
Epidemiology of upper gastrointestinal symptoms in Brazil (EpiGastro): A population-based study according to sex and age group
Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre, Aline Medeiros da Silva, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil
Décio Chinzon, Jaime N Eisig, Department of Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05409-001, Brazil
Aline Medeiros da Silva, Telma RP Dias-Bastos, Janssen-Cilag Farmacêutica Ltda., São Paulo 05501-900, Brazil
Author contributions: All authors contributed to study design as well as data acquisition, analysis, and interpretation; Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre M drafted the manuscript with assistance from Stephen W Gutkin; all authors revised the manuscript for intellectual content; all authors approved the final manuscript; Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre M had access to all data analyzed and takes responsibility for the analysis and this report (study guarantor).
Supported by Janssen-Cilag Farmacêutica Ltda., São Paulo, Brazil
Correspondence to: Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira Latorre, PhD, Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, University of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Arnaldo 715, São Paulo 01246-904, Brazil. mdrddola@usp.br
Telephone: +55-11-30617935 Fax: +55-11-30617799
Received: March 6, 2014
Revised: July 15, 2014
Accepted: August 13, 2014
Published online: December 14, 2014
Revised: July 15, 2014
Accepted: August 13, 2014
Published online: December 14, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Among residents of São Paulo responding to our survey, approximately 21% reported that they experienced highly frequent symptoms consistent with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or dyspepsia at least once per month in the prior 3 mo. Prevalences of these symptoms were significantly (about 1.5- to 2.0-fold) higher among women than men but did not vary significantly as a function of advancing age. Despite frequent manifestations of GERD or dyspepsia, most (≥ 90%) respondents reported that they neither received prescription medications from physicians, nor took behavioral measures (e.g., dietary modifications), to manage symptoms.