Table 1.
Demographic variables and baseline characteristics in patients with GORD
| S. no | Demographic variables | N (%)* |
| 1 | Gender | |
| Male | 109 (58.3) | |
| Female | 78 (41.7) | |
| 2 | Age category | |
| <19 years | 09 (4.8) | |
| 20–30 years | 34 (18.2) | |
| 31–40 years | 26 (13.9) | |
| 41–50 years | 48 (25.7) | |
| 51–60 years | 42 (22.5) | |
| 61–70 years | 19 (10.2) | |
| 71–80 years | 09 (4.8) | |
| 3 | Race/ethnicity | |
| Sindhi | 15 (8.0) | |
| Balochi | 05 (2.7) | |
| Punjabi | 102 (54.5) | |
| Pathan | 28 (15) | |
| Kashmiri | 06 (3.2) | |
| Urdu Speaking Mohajirs | 31 (16.6) | |
| 4 | Domicile | |
| Urban | 119 (63.6) | |
| Rural | 68 (36.4) | |
| 5 | Socioeconomic status (SES)† | |
| Low | 116 (62) | |
| Moderate | 66 (35.3) | |
| High | 05 (2.7) | |
| 6 | Dietary pattern‡ | |
| Healthy diet | 23 (12.3) | |
| Satisfactory diet | 80 (42.8) | |
| Unhealthy diet | 84 (44.9) | |
| 7 | Addiction | |
| Smoking | 50 (26.7) | |
| Oral tobacco | 57 (30.5) | |
| Alcohol | 05 (2.7) | |
| 8 | Tea consumption | |
| Yes | 136 (72.7) | |
| No | 51 (27.3) | |
| 9 | NSAIDs consumption | |
| Yes | 86 (46.0) | |
| No | 101 (54.0) | |
| 10 | History of body ache/general body pain | |
| Yes | 83 (44.0) | |
| No | 104 (56.0) | |
| 11 | Weight loss (from <5 kg to >20 kg) | |
| No | 45 (24.1) | |
| 1–5 kg | 72 (38.5) | |
| 5–10 kg | 13 (7.0) | |
| 10–15 kg | 36 (19.3) | |
| 15–20 kg | 15 (8.0) | |
| >20 kg | 06 (3.2) | |
| 12 | Comorbidities | |
| Hypertension | 65 (34.8) | |
| Diabetes mellitus | 43 (23) | |
| Hepatitis B | 08 (4.3) | |
| Hepatitis C | 64 (34.2) | |
| Chronic liver disease | 35 (18.7) | |
| 13 | Dental erosions (DE) | |
| Group A: GORD with DE | 66 (35.3) | |
| Group B: GORD without DE | 121 (64.7) | |
| 14 | GORD (alone) and (in combination with other GI illness) | |
| GORD alone | 106 (56.7) | |
| GORD with additional upper-GI conditions | 81 (43.3) | |
| i. Gastritis | 16 (19.8) | |
| ii. Portal gastropathy | 09 (11.2) | |
| iii. Peptic ulcer disease | 08 (10.2) | |
| iv. GORD oesophagitis | 04 (4.8) | |
| v. Hiatal hernia | 04 (4.3) | |
| vi. Others | 40 (49.7) | |
*Items in bold highlight notable prevalence in each category.
†SES (categorised on the basis of monthly family income, number of family dependents and educational status).
‡Dietary pattern (healthy diet refers to a balanced diet; satisfactory diet: being intermediary between healthy and unhealthy diet, explicitly relating to occasionally eating junk food, while diet relatively lacks in natural abrasives like fruits/vegetables, cereals, leafy vegetables and fibres; unhealthy diet refers to consuming high fatty/oily meals, frequent consumption of junk food/fast food and soft drinks, while completely devoid of natural abrasives).16
GI, gastrointestinal; GORD, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease; NSAIDs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.