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Results from a recent study of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms among Swedish twins suggested a genetic contribution to the etiology of GERD symptoms. To evaluate this possibility further, researchers studied GERD symptoms in 4480 monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs identified from a U.K. national twin registry.
Zygosity was determined by questionnaire or, in cases of uncertainty, by genotyping. A validated symptom questionnaire was completed by 56% of subjects, yielding 1960 evaluable twin pairs. GERD was defined as weekly heartburn or acid regurgitation. Paired concordance rates for GERD symptoms were significantly higher in MZ than DZ twins (27% vs. 15%). Compared with DZ twins whose co-twins had GERD, MZ twins w…