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Prevalence and risk factors for dysphagia: a USA community study
Author(s) -
Cho S. Y.,
Choung R. S.,
Saito Y. A.,
Schleck C. D.,
Zinsmeister A. R.,
Locke G. R.,
Talley N. J.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
neurogastroenterology and motility
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.489
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1365-2982
pISSN - 1350-1925
DOI - 10.1111/nmo.12467
Subject(s) - dysphagia , medicine , heartburn , gerd , population , swallowing , cohort , rochester epidemiology project , pediatrics , disease , epidemiology , surgery , reflux , population based study , environmental health
Background Dysphagia is considered an alarm symptom but detailed population‐based data on dysphagia are lacking. We aimed to estimate in a representative USA C aucasian population, the prevalence of dysphagia and potential risk factors. Methods A modified version of the previously validated B owel D isease Q uestionnaire was mailed to a population‐based cohort ( n = 7640) of O lmsted C ounty, MN . Dysphagia was measured by one validated question ‘In the last year, how often have you had difficulty swallowing (a feeling that food sticks in your throat or chest)?’ The medical records were reviewed for organic causes of dysphagia. The associations of reported frequency of dysphagia with potential risk factors were assessed using logistic regression models. Key Results The sex‐specific, age‐adjusted ( US White 2000) prevalence for dysphagia experienced at least weekly was 3.0% (95% CI : 2.2, 3.7) in females and 3.0% (95% CI : 2.0, 4.0) in males. Those with frequent heartburn ( OR = 5.9 [4.0, 8.6]) and acid regurgitation ( OR = 10.6 [6.8, 16.6]) were significantly more likely to report frequent dysphagia. Proton pump inhibitor ( PPI ) use was significantly associated with frequent (3.1, 95% CI 2.2, 4.4) and infrequent dysphagia (1.5, 955 CI 1.3, 1.8). Gastro‐esophageal reflux disease ( GERD ) was the most common diagnosis in those reporting dysphagia on the medical record; other organic explanations were rare and only found in the frequent dysphagia group. Conclusions & Inferences Frequent dysphagia is not rare in the community (3%), occurs in both women and men across all adult age groups, and is most likely to indicate underlying GERD .