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Body mass and reflux oesophagitis: an oestrogen-dependent association?
M Nilsson1, G Lundegårdh, L Carling
1Dept of Surgery, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. magnus.nilsson@ks.se
Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology
|July 20, 2002
Summary
Obesity and overweight significantly increase the risk of reflux esophagitis in women, but not in men. This association in women may be linked to estrogen activity.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Epidemiology
- Obesity Research
Background:
- A common belief links obesity to gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, yet scientific evidence is inconsistent.
- This study aimed to clarify the relationship between body mass and reflux oesophagitis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and the risk of reflux oesophagitis.
- To determine if this association differs between sexes.
Main Methods:
- A population-based case-control study involving 179 matched pairs.
- Subjects were categorized by BMI: normal (<25), overweight (25-30), and obese (>30).
- Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated.
Main Results:
- No association between overweight/obesity and reflux oesophagitis was observed in men.
- In women, a significant, dose-dependent association was found: OR 2.9 (95% CI: 1.1-7.6) for overweight and OR 14.6 (95% CI: 2.6-80.9) for obesity.
- The link between obesity and esophagitis in women was amplified by estrogen replacement therapy.
Conclusions:
- A strong, dose-dependent link exists between body mass and reflux oesophagitis in women, contrasting with men.
- Increased estrogen activity in overweight/obese women may contribute to this observed association.