Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41048580›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in global women's health2025

Burden of gastroesophageal reflux disease among women of childbearing age, with projections to 2050: an analysis of the Global Burden of Disease study 2021.

Siyu Zhou, Yanping Wang, Nengyi Hou, Kun Hu, Shun Jiang, Junzhao You, Hongtao Tang, Jie Zeng, Minghui Pang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in global women's health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Siyu Zhou *Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
Yanping Wang *Department of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
Nengyi Hou *Department of Geriatric General Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China.
Kun HuDepartment of Geriatric General Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China.
Shun JiangDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.
Junzhao YouDepartment of Geriatric General Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China.
Hongtao TangSchool of Clinical Medicine, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong, China.
Jie ZengDepartment of Geriatric General Surgery, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology, Chengdu, China.
Minghui PangDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common chronic digestive disorder characterized by the reflux of gastroduodenal contents into the esophagus, causing uncomfortable symptoms and potential tissue damage. It affects over 1 billion people worldwide, imposing substantial economic and health burdens. Notably, women of childbearing age face unique challenges due to hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy, and gender-specific social roles, yet systematic global analyses of GERD burden in this population remain scarce. Methods: This study evaluated the global, regional, and national burden of GERD among WCBA from 1990 to 2021 and projected trends through 2050. Data were sourced from the 2021 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, including incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), and their age-standardized rates. Temporal trends were analyzed using joinpoint regression (average annual percentage change, AAPC), and future projections were generated via Bayesian age-period-cohort models. Associations with the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) were explored. Results: Globally, the number of incident and prevalent GERD cases among WCBA increased by 64.09% and 66.44% from 1990 to 2021, reaching almost 99.1 million and 245.2 million in 2021, respectively. The AAPCs for age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), and age-standardized YLD rate (ASYR) were 0.24, 0.23, and 0.23, respectively. Regionally, South Asia had the highest absolute burden, while Tropical Latin America had the highest ASRs. Nationally, the Republic of India reported the highest incidence, the People's Republic of China the highest prevalence, Brazil the highest ASRs, and Norway the lowest. SDI was negatively correlated with GERD burden, with the most notable upward trends in middle SDI regions. By age, burden increased with age and peaked in the 25-29 years group. Joinpoint analysis showed accelerated growth post-2011. Projections to 2,050 forecast continued rises in incidence, prevalence, and ASRs. Conclusion: The global GERD burden among WCBA is increasing, with marked regional, national, and SDI-related disparities. Physiological characteristics, lifestyle changes, and healthcare accessibility are key drivers. Targeted interventions such as strengthening primary care, lifestyle guidance, and region-specific policies are critical to mitigate risks. This study fills a research gap, providing evidence to inform global strategies for GERD prevention and management in this population.

Indexed as

disease burden projectionepidemiologygastroesophageal reflux diseaseGlobal Burden of Diseasewomen of childbearing age

Identifiers

PMID41048580
PMCPMC12491323

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.