Is obesity associated with gastropharyngeal reflux disease?

Table 3 Results of ambulatory 24-h dual probe pH monitoring according to the body mass index (mean ± SE)

		Body mass index (kg/m2)			P value
		< 23 (n = 344)	23-25 (n = 231)	> 25 (n = 194)
Proximal probe
Time pH < 4 (total)		0.7 ± 0.2	0.5 ± 0.1	0.5 ± 0.1	0.502
Time pH < 4 (upright)		0.8 ± 0.1	0.7 ± 0.1	0.8 ± 0.1	0.809
Time pH < 4 (supine)		0.6 ± 0.3	0.2 ± 0.1	0.1 ± 0.0	0.245
No. of reflux episodes		11.1 ± 1.8	8.4 ± 1.0	9.5 ± 1.1	0.452
Distal probe
Time pH < 4 (total)		2.7 ± 0.2	3.7 ± 0.5	3.8 ± 0.3a	0.038
Time pH < 4 (upright)		3.9 ± 0.3	5.8 ± 0.9	5.6 ± 0.5a	0.021
Time pH < 4 (supine)		1.4 ± 0.3	2.2 ± 0.6	2.1 ± 0.3	0.211
No. of reflux episodes		39.1 ± 2.3	46.1 ± 3.1	59.4 ± 4.9ab	< 0.001
No. of reflux episodes ≥ 5 min		1.6 ± 0.2	1.6 ± 0.2	2.0 ± 0.3	0.477
Longest reflux episode (min)		8.6 ± 1.3	11.3 ± 2.4	11.1 ± 0.9	0.385
DeMeester composite score		11.0 ± 0.9	14.5 ± 1.7	15.7 ± 1.2a	0.016

Post hoc analysis using Tukey's HSD:

^aP < 0.05 vs BMI < 23;

^bP < 0.05 vs BMI 23-25.