Bidirectional association between gastroesophageal reflux disease and depression: Two different nested case-control studies using a national sample cohort

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 8; no. 1; pp. 11748 - 8
• Main Authors: Kim, So Young, Kim, Hyung-Jong, Lim, Hyun, Kong, Il Gyu, Kim, Miyoung, Choi, Hyo Geun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 06.08.2018; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 692/4020/2223; 692/499; Case studies; Gastroesophageal reflux; Health risk assessment; Humanities and Social Sciences; Mental depression; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29629-7

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the associations between gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and depression using a national sample cohort of the Korean population. Data were collected from individuals ≥20 years old in the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort between 2002 and 2013. We designed two different nested case-control studies. In study I, 60,957 participants with depression were matched at a 1:4 ratio with 243,828 controls, and their previous histories of GERD were analyzed. In study II, 133,089 participants with GERD were matched at a 1:2 ratio with 266,178 controls, and their previous histories of depression were analyzed. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) were analyzed using unconditional logistic regression analyses, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Subgroup analyses were performed according to age and sex. The adjusted OR for GERD was 2.01 (95% CI = 1.96–2.07) in the patients with depression (study I). The adjusted OR for depression was 1.48 (95% CI = 1.43–1.52) in the patients with GERD (study II). The results of the subgroup analyses were consistent. GERD and depression displayed bidirectional associations.