RISK-FACTORS FOR ULCERATIVE REFLUX ESOPHAGITIS - A CASE-CONTROL STUDY

A case-control study was undertaken to investigate the effects of smok ing, alcohol consumption, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and o ther analgesic medications and family and medical history on the risk of ulcerative reflux oesophagitis (URO). We recruited 191 cases with U RO diagnosed at endoscopy, 162 hospital controls who had also undergon e endoscopy and 140 community controls from the Adelaide metropolitan area. From these three groups of subjects, 134 case-community control pairs, matched on age, sex and postcode of residence and 142 case-hosp ital control pairs, matched on age, sex, hospital and endoscopist, wer e formed. Elevated non-significant risks were found in those smoking a t least 20 cigarettes per day relative to those who never smoked (rela tive risk = 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 0.9-3.9 in case-hospital con trol pairs; relative risk = 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 0.9-3.7 in c ase-community control pairs). There was no elevation in risk associate d with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, with alcohol consumption, factors related to medical and reproductive history, nor with family history except for paternal history of heartburn (relative risk = 2.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.2-5.4 in case-hospital control pairs; relative risk = 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.0-4.0 in case- community control pairs). With the possible exception of smoking, no o ther risk factors for ulcerative reflux oesophagitis related to lifest yle are apparent.