[The importance of age as determining factor in hiatus hernia and gastroesophageal reflux. Cross-sectional study]

This prospective study involve a total of 77 patients distributed according age. The patients were divided in three groups: Group A > or = 14 e < or = 24, Group B > or = 25 e < or = 54, and Group C > or = 55 e < or = 64 years old. Each group of patients had similar alterations in 24 h-pHmetry parameters such as total episodes number, number of episodes with duration more than 5 minutes, the longest episode, Johnson and DeMeester Score, reflux patterns (orthostatic or supine or combined) (P > 0.05 NS). The hiatal hernia was present in 10.00% of the patients between 14 and 24 years old, 43.40% between 25 and 54 years old, and 64.29% between 55 and 64 years old (P < 0.0001). The conclusion is that hiatal hernia do not participate in gastroesophageal reflux disease etiopathogenesis. Although the older age is a risk factor for development of gastroesophageal reflux disease complications, it is speculated if the continuous acid aggression in the distal esophagus in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease is the only factor responsible for the higher incidence of hiatal hernia in patients with 55 and 64 years old than the younger groups of patients.