Table 1

Characteristics of participants with and without acid regurgitation or heartburn


Acid regurgitation, n (%)
Heartburn, n (%)

No
Yes
No
Yes

All participants
4161 (98.4)
66 (1.6)
4120 (97.5)
107 (2.5)
Males
1985 (47.7)
23 (36.5)
1952 (47.4)
57 (53.3)
Mean age (SD)
45.6 (8.9)
45.4 (9.3)
45.5 (9.0)
47.5 (8.5)
Receiving antihypertensives
255 (6.1)
3 (4.6)
255 (6.1)
3 (2.8)
Mean BMI (SD)
26.7 (4.4)
28.8 (4.6)
26.8 (4.4)
28.9 (5.2)
Cigarettes




     Never
2204 (53.0)
31 (47.0)
2183 (53.0)
52 (48.6)
     Ever
987 (23.7)
8 (12.1)
976 (23.7)
19 (17.8)
     Current, <20/day
597 (14.4)
8 (12.1)
589 (14.3)
16 (15.0)
     Current, = 20/day
373 (9.0)
19 (28.8)
372 (9.0)
20 (18.7)
Alcohol (units/wk)




     None
659 (15.8)
20 (30.3)
651 (15.8)
28 (26.2)
     1–9
1966 (47.2)
26 (39.4)
1955 (47.4)
37 (34.6)
     10–19
883 (21.2)
10 (15.2)
877 (21.3)
16 (15.0)
     ≥ 20
653 (15.7)
10 (15.2)
637 (15.5)
26 (24.3)
Coffee (cups/day)




     None
801 (19.2)
20 (30.3)
792 (19.2)
29 (27.1)
     1–4
2209 (53.1)
28 (42.4)
2182 (53.0)
55 (51.4)
     ≥ 5
1151 (27.7)
18 (27.3)
1146 (27.8)
23 (21.5)
Non- manual social class
2667 (64.1)
44 (66.7)
2653 (64.4)
58 (54.2)
Mean systolic BP (SD)
119.8 (21.7)
119.2 (19.4)
119.8 (21.8)
121.0 (16.2)
Mean diastolic BP (SD)
75.6 (19.2)
75.1 (10.6)
75.6 (19.3)
76.4 (12.0)

Data shown relate to 4227 participants with complete data

Murray et al. BMC Gastroenterology 2008 8:10   doi:10.1186/1471-230X-8-10