Abstract
We sought to assess the prevalence, severity of symptoms, and risk factors of uninvestigated dyspepsia in a population-based study in Argentina. Eight hundred thirty-nine valid questionnaires were evaluated. Dyspepsia was present in 367 subjects (43.2%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 39.8–46.6); 110 (13.6%) had overlap with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The group with dyspepsia without GERD consisted of 257 subjects (29.6%; 95% CI, 26.5–32.7), 183 (71.1%) had ulcer-like dyspepsia, and 74 (28.9%) had dysmotility-like dyspepsia. Symptoms were considered very severe in 1.9%, severe in 14.0%, moderate in 59.5%, and mild in 24.5% of the subjects. Dyspepsia was associated with a score >14 on the psychosomatic symptom scale (PSC) (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.75–3.61), a family history of diseases of the esophagus or stomach (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.19–2.52) and an educational level >12 years (OR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.05–2.29). Dyspepsia is especially prevalent in Argentina. In a significant proportion of dyspeptic subjects, the severity of symptoms interferes with daily activities. A higher PSC, positive family history, and a higher educational level are risk factors for dyspepsia.
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The authors wish to thanks Mayo Clinic for granting permission to use the Gastro-esophageal Reflux Questionnaire.
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Olmos, J.A., Pogorelsky, V., Tobal, F. et al. Uninvestigated Dyspepsia in Latin America: A Population-Based Study. Dig Dis Sci 51, 1922–1929 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9241-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10620-006-9241-y