Introduction: Reflux is one of the most common gastrointestinal symptoms among dialysis patients. This may be associated with several clinical factors such as comorbidities and subsequent polypharmacy. However, this remains unrecognized and untreated. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) in Filipino patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) and to investigate associated demographic, clinical, and renal profiles of HD patients with and without GERD. Methods: This was a cross-sectional, multicenter study using a validated GERD questionnaire (GERDQ) translated into Filipino. Patients above 18 years old undergoing hemodialysis as outpatients were included. Several clinical factors such as demographic, clinical, and renal profiles were analyzed based on the absence and presence of GERD with a predetermined cut-off value of eight or above. Results: Included in our analysis were 264 patients, from which 36 had GERDQ score of ≥ 8 (13.64% 95%CI 9.98-18.35). Factors associated with having score of ≥ 8 included the following: (1) having chronic heart disease or CHD (COR 4.041, 95%CI 1.89-8.64, p<0.001), (2) being on insulin (COR 2.599, 95%CI 1.25-5.42, p=0.011), (3) anemia (COR 4.508, 95%CI 1.91-10.64, p=0.001) (4) diagnosis of both hypertensive kidney disease and diabetes kidney disease (COR 3.853, 95%CI 1.15-12.96, p=0.029), (5) previous diagnosis of GERD (COR 6.655, 95%CI 3.18-13.91, p<0.001), (6) previous intake of antacids (COR 2.622, 95%CI 1.17-5.89, p=0.020), (7) being employed (COR 2.332, 95%CI 1.15-4.75, p=0.020) (8) alcohol consumption (COR 2.477, 95%CI 1.23-5.01, p=0.012), and (9) smoking (COR 2.405, 95%CI 1.19-4.86, p=0.014). Conclusion In our study, the prevalence of GERD in Filipino HD patients was 13.64% and may be associated with several clinical factors such as heart disease, insulin use, anemia, hypertension, diabetic kidney disease, previous diagnosis of GERD, use of antacids, being employed, smoking, and alcohol use. A comprehensive understanding of the relationships between these clinical factors awaits further studies in a larger number of patients.
Gastroesophageal Reflux ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Renal Dialysis

Objective: This study seeks to determine the association between vitamin D and testosterone in healthy, adult Filipino males. Methodology: This cross-sectional study included 110 healthy, non-obese, male volunteers aged 21–40. History and physical exam were taken, and blood was drawn for vitamin D, total testosterone (TT), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), albumin, insulin, fasting plasma glucose, and total cholesterol. Free testosterone (FT) was calculated. Vitamin D data were classified by status and TT, FT, and SHBG levels were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis’s test. The associations of vitamin D levels with TT, FT, and SHBG were explored using multiple regression analysis. Results: Vitamin D levels were sufficient in 3 (2.7%), insufficient in 17 (15.45%), and deficient in 90 (81.8%) of the sample. There were no significant differences in the mean TT (p=0.7981), FT (p=0.8768), nor SHBG (p=0.1838) across vitamin D status. Vitamin D was not associated with TT nor FT before or after adjustment for age and age plus body mass index (BMI). Vitamin D was associated with SHBG before and after the aforementioned adjustments, but this became insignificant on sensitivity analysis. Conclusion There is no association between vitamin D and TT, FT nor SHBG in our cohort with deficient Vit D levels.
Vitamin D ; Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin