Prevalence, risk factors of infantile GERD
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The prevalence of infant GERD was highest in the first 3 months of life and decreased with age, according to a study at Digestive Disease Week.
“Functional gastrointestinal disorders are common in infants under the age of 1, including GERD, diarrhea and constipation, which are a frequent cause of concern for parents and have a significant healthcare burden,” Vanessa McLoughlin, Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences, University of Oxford medical sciences division, said. “Research into prevalence and natural history is very limited and often restricted to western populations with no previous studies reporting the prevalence GERD in Asian infants; although, we do know that in adults the prevalence of GERD varies dramatically between ethnic populations.”
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To investigate the prevalence of GERD and identify potential risk factors, researchers analyzed 347 families from the Singapore PREconception Study of long-term maternal and child outcomes. Follow-up occurred at 6-weeks, 3-months, 6-months and 12-months; investigators used validated questionnaires to diagnose GERD. They further collected data on parents’ perception of their child’s GI symptoms and lifestyle changes made to resolve those symptoms.
According to study results, 48.7% of infants born to Chinese mothers had GERD at some point during their first year vs. 25% of infants born to mothers of other ethnicities. The prevalence of infant GERD was highest at 6-weeks (26.5%); prevalence decreased at each follow-up until 12-months (1.1%). Exclusive breastfeeding at any time in the first 6-months reduced the odds for GERD in the first year (OR = 0.52; 95% CI, 0.26-1.02) while formula-feeding increased the odds for GERD in the first year (OR = 1.8; 95% CI, 0.98-3.36). Mothers were most likely to seek professional consult for GI symptoms in the earlier months (19.2% at 6-weeks vs. 5.3% at 12-months) and reported excessive and regurgitation were the most significant symptoms associated with increased healthcare-seeking behavior. Mothers with higher household income were less likely to seek advice during the first year compared with mothers of lower socioeconomic status (OR = 0.78; 95% CI, 0.66-0.93).
“Our study emphasizes the importance of considering culture while tailoring treatment and advice for GERD as well as educating parents and caregivers on symptoms or complications and making information about interventions available to show them how they can manage their child's symptoms at home,” McLoughlin concluded.
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