SAN FRANCISCO-Patients complaining of heartburn may not know what they're talking about.
In a study at Boston's Beth Israel, 66% of 129 patients who filled out a questionnaire on gastroesophageal reflux at a general medical clinic were in the dark on what "heartburn" means.
Of the 37 who complained of heartburn, only 26 actually had the right symptoms, and 21 of the 92 who didn't complain about heartburn should have, Dr. David Tendler told the American Gastroenterological Association meeting here. Only one of 38 Asians (3%) complained of heartburn symptoms, vs. 18 of 39 blacks (46%) and 18 of 52 whites (35%). But eight Asians (21%) actually had symptoms, as did 22 blacks (56%) and 17 whites (33%).
Five Asians saw heartburn as a "burning, warm, or acid" epigastric sensation, vs. 35% of whites and 54% of blacks. -Steve Stiles
