Table 1.

Subject characteristics by first episode

	First episode, PCP (N = 142,394)		First episode, GE (N = 27,490)		P-value
	N	%	N	%
Gender
Male	66,527	46.72	12,542	45.62	0.001
Female	75,867	53.28	14,948	54.38
Pre-index GERD severity
Low	118,447	83.18	20,280	73.77	<0.001
Medium	23,344	16.39	6,946	25.27
High	603	0.42	264	0.96
Baseline comorbid conditionsa
Respiratory infections	33,543	23.56	7,039	25.61	<0.001
Hypertension	30,154	21.18	5,149	18.73	<0.001
Disorders of lipid metabolism	29,027	20.38	5,920	21.54	<0.001
Diseases of the heart	24,715	17.36	5,182	18.85	<0.001
Upper respiratory disease	17,541	12.32	4,248	15.45	<0.001
Other lower respiratory disease	16,498	11.59	3,624	13.18	<0.001
Other gastrointestinal disorders	10,169	7.14	3,410	12.40	<0.001
Evidence of complications during first episodeb
Ulcer	904	0.63	1,798	6.54	<0.001
Esophagitis	4,541	3.19	4,216	15.34	<0.001
Esophageal stricture	838	0.59	1,598	5.81	<0.001
Barrett’s esophagus	278	0.20	568	2.07	<0.001

PCP primary care provider, GE gastroenterologist

^aThese conditions were selected based on prevalence and clinical relevance

^bEvidence is defined as ≥1 medical claim with diagnosis for the designated condition in the first or second position