Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastroduodenal erosions and ulcers and their association with the family predisposition to peptic ulcer disease in Siberian schoolchildren

Abstract

The aim is to study the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), gastroduodenal erosions and ulcers and their association with a family predisposition for ulcer disease in Siberian schoolchildren. Material and methods. We have examined schoolchildren aged 7–17 years in three regions of Siberia (Republic of Tyva, Evenkia and Buryatia) in localities identical to their socio-economic level. Data collected using a cross-sectional method using standardized questionnaires on the presence of gastroenterological complaints and information about ulcer disease of relatives in the 1st and 2nd generations in 1535 schoolchildren in Tuva, 790 in Buryatia and 1369 in Evenkia. Diagnosis of GERD was based on the presence of complaints of heartburn, in accordance with international consensus in the pediatric population. We performed gastroscopy randomly method in each region at schoolchildren with gastrointestinal complaints (283 children in Tyva, 110 in Buryatia, 205 in Evenkia). Results. There was an increase in the GERD frequency among Siberian children with anamnesis data on the presence of peptic ulcer in relatives (9.9 and 5.9 %, respectively, p = 0.0025). The most unfavorable situation has been observed in the population of schoolchildren of the Republic of Tuva (10.6 % with a burdened history and 9.3 % without it, p = 0.5389). We have not revealed the significant increase of gastroduodenal erosions and ulcers in children with a poor family history of peptic ulcer disease (12.6 and 10.4 %, respectively, p = 0.5263), including Tuva schoolchildren where they were more often detected. The GERD association with erosive ulcerative process in the mucous membrane of the stomach and duodenum was ambiguous and had population (regional) features in schoolchildren with a burdened family history of peptic ulcer disease. Conclusion. Siberian schoolchildren with a family predisposition to peptic ulcer disease have certain regional features in the association of gastroduodenal erosions and ulcers with GERD.