Pathophysiology of functional heartburn based on Rome III criteria in Japanese patients

Table 1 Clinical characteristics

Characteristic	pH-POS	HE	FH	P value
	(n = 22)	(n = 34)	(n = 22)
Age, yr	54.8 ± 3.9	54.9 ± 2.6	57.7 ± 2.7	0.3
	(26–80)	(21–86)	(29–76)
Sex, male:female	14:08	17:17	9:13	0.3
Body mass index, kg/m2	21.9 ± 3.5	22.0 ± 3.0	21.3 ± 2.7	0.6
Drinking	8 (36.3)	16 (47.0)	8 (36.3)	0.4
Smoking	7 (31.8)	10 (29.4)	5 (22.7)	0.7
Neuroticism (III or IV)1	4 (22.7)	8 (23.5)	5 (22.7)	0.8

Data are expressed as mean ± SD (range), or as n (%), unless otherwise indicated;

¹Neuroticism was defined using the Cornel Medical Index. P-values were obtained using the Kruskal-Wallis or χ² tests. FH: Functional heartburn; HE: Hypersensitive esophagus (non-excessive esophageal acid exposure time and positive symptom index); pH-POS: Excessive intraesophageal acid exposure time.