SAINT LOUIS — A new study from Saint Louis University reveals that individuals with frequent heartburn—clinically known as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)—have a higher chance of being diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) within two years. Researchers are urging primary care providers to screen GERD patients for alcohol misuse during routine visits.
Alcohol use disorder affects millions of Americans and contributes to nearly 178,000 deaths each year. Despite the availability of effective treatments, many people go undiagnosed, especially in primary care settings where doctors have regular contact with patients. The research team emphasizes the need for primary care clinicians to screen GERD patients for AUD to enable early intervention.
Kimberly Schiel, M.D. Submitted photo.
“If we know GERD patients are at higher risk, we can start asking the right questions and offering help sooner,” said Kimberly Schiel, M.D., lead author and acting chair of family and community medicine at SLU’s School of Medicine.
The retrospective study examined historical, de-identified electronic health records from the SLU-SSM Health Care System’s Virtual Data Warehouse (VDW). The VDW, created and maintained by SLU’s Advanced HEAlth Data (AHEAD) Research Institute, encompasses data from over 5 million patients dating back to 2008.
The team analyzed electronic health records from more than 350,000 adult patients seen at SLU-affiliated clinics between 2020 and 2023, focusing on three digestive conditions: irritable bowel syndrome, GERD, and ulcers/gastritis.
Only GERD showed a strong link to later alcohol problems. Patients with GERD had an 18% higher chance of being diagnosed with AUD compared to those without GERD. The risk was especially high for people under age 58 and was consistent across both men and women.
The researchers hope their findings will lead to better screening practices in primary care. They also plan to study how comfortable patients and doctors are discussing alcohol use during visits for GERD.
The study was published in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine. Other contributors include experts from SLU’s AHEAD Research Institute and departments of family medicine, psychiatry, and health outcomes research.
Additional authors include Timothy Chrusciel, the AHEAD Research Institute, and Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research, Saint Louis University School of Medicine; Richard Gruzca, Ph.D., Department of Family and Community Medicine, Department of Health and Clinical Outcomes Research, and the AHEAD Research Institute, Saint Louis University School of Medicine; Jeffrey F. Scherrer, Ph.D., Department of Family and Community Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, and the AHEAD Research Institute, Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
About Saint Louis University
Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 13,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good.
About SLU School of Medicine
Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: infectious disease, liver disease, cancer, heart/lung disease, and aging and brain disorders.
