Five-year follow-up study of patients with reflux symptoms and reflux esophagitis in annual medical check-up field

Aim To clarify changes in the prevalence of reflux symptoms and reflux esophagitis over a period of 5 years. Subjects and Methods Five hundred thirty-nine study subjects (male: 408, mean age 47.3 years) were assessed using a reflux symptom questionnaire and endoscopic examinations conducted twice, 5 years apart. Results At enrollment, 88 patients had reflux symptoms and 44 had reflux esophagitis (RE). After 5 years, 58 and 53 patients were diagnosed as having reflux symptoms and RE, respectively. Only 26% of the patients with reflux symptoms at enrolment had the symptoms after 5 years. The presence of reflux symptoms and an increase of BMI were significant risk factors for the presence of reflux symptoms after 5 years. Conclusion Reflux symptoms frequently disappear after 5 years. It is difficult to identify individuals who will still have symptoms after 5 years on the basis of clinical characteristics.