Natural History of Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) in Children and Adolescents

The Natural History of Children With Persistent Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (Ages 12 to 17 Years)

The goal of this project is to determine the long-term health outcome of children diagnosed with gastroesophageal reflux (GER). We are inviting subjects that were previously followed in the Pediatric GI programs at Massachusetts General and Children's Hospital, Boston. We have compiled a database of more than 300 subjects that completed diagnostic testing for GER in the 1970's, 1980's, and 1990's. Subjects are being contacted initially by mail using a previously approved recruitment letter. Subjects that fail to respond to this recruitment letter are called by phone. In each case, contact information has been abstracted from the Children's Hospital database. Subjects are then given the opportunity to complete a questionnaire either by phone or in hard copy. Subjects receive no compensation for their participation in this study. Subjects will be compared to controls. Controls will complete the same questionnaire as the subjects. Inclusion of potential controls will be determined by a lack of medical history of gastroenterological diseases before the age of 21 and whether the potential control was born within a year of a subject in the study. Controls will receive $25 to participate in the study.

Inclusion Criteria for Subjects:

• Patients who were evaluated for GERD at the age of 12-17 years, inclusive at Children's Hospital, Boston or Massachusetts General Hospital
• Positive for GERD per biopsies or pH probe results

Exclusion Criteria for Subjects:

None

Inclusion Criteria for Controls:

• No GI diseases prior to age 21 including, but not limited to reflux, inflammatory bowel disease,Hirschsprung's disease
• Date of birth is within 1 year of a subject's date of birth