Impact of body mass index and gender on quality of life in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease

AIM:To investigate the symptom presentation and quality of life in obese Chinese patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD).METHODS:Data from patients diagnosed with GERD according to the Montreal definition,were collected between January 2009 to March 2010.The enrolled patients were assigned to the normal [body mass index(BMI) < 25 kg/m 2 ],overweight(25-30 kg/m 2),and obese(BMI > 30 kg/m 2) groups.General demographic data,endoscopic findings,and quality of life of the three groups of patients were analyzed and compared.RESULTS:Among the 173 enrolled patients,102,56 and 15 patients were classified in the normal,overweight,and obese,respectively.There was significantly more erosive esophagitis(73.3% vs 64.3% vs 39.2%,P = 0.002),hiatal hernia(60% vs 33.9% vs 16.7%,P = 0.001),and males(73.3% vs 73.2% vs 32.4%,P = 0.001) in the obese cases.The severity and frequency of heartburn,not acid regurgitation,was positively correlated with BMI,with a significant association in men,but not in women.Obese patients were prone to have low quality of life scores,with obese women having the lowest scores for mental health.CONCLUSION:In patients with GERD,obese men had the most severe endoscopic and clinical presentation.Obese women had the poorest mental health.