Age-dependent normal values for the 'Infant Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire Revised'

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• The Infant Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire Revised (I-GERQ-R) assesses gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms.
• A threshold of ≥16 on the I-GERQ-R has been proposed to distinguish GER from GER-disease.
• Age-specific normal values for the I-GERQ-R in healthy infants have not been established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine age-specific normal values for the I-GERQ-R in healthy infants aged 0-24 months.
• To evaluate the prevalence of high I-GERQ-R scores in relation to age.
• To assess the correlation between I-GERQ-R scores and infant age.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the I-GERQ-R in 979 healthy infants aged 0-24 months.
• Infants with a history of suspected GER-disease were excluded.
• Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to analyze age-related trends in I-GERQ-R scores.

Main Results:

• The median I-GERQ-R score across all ages was 6.
• I-GERQ-R scores significantly decreased with increasing age (r_s = -0.569, p < 0.001).
• 5% of infants scored ≥16, with higher prevalence in infants aged 0-4 months (up to 16%); these scores disappeared after 16 months.

Conclusions:

• Reflux symptoms, as measured by the I-GERQ-R, decrease with age in healthy infants during their first 24 months.
• Scores of ≥16 on the I-GERQ-R should not automatically be interpreted as indicative of GER-disease in young infants.
• Validation of the I-GERQ-R as a diagnostic tool for GER-disease requires the use of age-appropriate normal values.