Consultation rates and characteristics of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in primary care: A European observational study

Figures & data

Table I. Demographic and endoscopic characteristics of participating patients, stratified by country of residence.

	Germany	Greece	Norway	Spain	Sweden	UK
Number of centres	22	23	22	24	18	25
Number of patients	495	505	525	477	368	308
Women, n (%)	295 (59.6)	265 (52.5)	303 (57.7)	280 (58.7)	223 (60.6)	171 (55.5)
Mean age, years (SD)	58.6 (14.5)	52.5 (14.3)	57.2 (15.2)	59.8 (15.7)	56.2 (15.0)	56.4 (15.5)
Mean body-mass index, kg/m^2 (SD)	27.7 (5.1)	27.4 (4.5)	26.9 (4.7)	28.0 (4.3)	27.5 (4.8)	28.0 (5.8)
Reflux oesophagitis, n (%)	258 (52.1)	95 (18.8)	162 (30.9)	47 (9.9)	35 (9.5)	75 (24.4)
Complications of GERD, n (%)
Haemorrhage	13 (1.6)	3 (0.6)	6 (1.1)	8 (1.7)	7 (1.9)	0 (0.0)
Barrett's metaplasia	9 (1.8)	6 (1.2)	6 (1.1)	11 (2.3)	2 (0.5)	6 (1.9)
Stricture	3 (0.6)	0 (0.0)	5 (1.0)	2 (0.4)	6 (1.6)	2 (0.6)
Adenocarcinoma	1 (0.2)	0 (0.0)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.2)	0 (0.0)	1 (0.3)

GERD: gastro-oesophageal reflux disease; SD: standard deviation.

Figure 1. GERD-related reasons for consultation, stratified by country of residence.

Figure 2. Profile of symptoms at consultation (symptom frequency ≥2 days/week), stratified by country of residence (data not available for the UK)

Figure 3. Proportion of patients with a significant GERD symptom load at consultation (defined as heartburn or regurgitation with frequency ≥2 days/week, of moderate or severe intensity) (data not available for the UK).

Figure 4. Diagnostic techniques used in different countries.