Insights into Retrograde Cricopharyngeus Dysfunction (R-CPD) through Analysis of Internet Search Patterns (Preprint)

BACKGROUND Retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (R-CPD) is a recently described condition characterized by the lifelong abelchia. R-CPD remains unfamiliar to most clinicians. Comparatively, information regarding R-CPD has proliferated rapidly on the internet. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to assess public awareness, interest, and patterns of information-seeking behavior related to R-CPD symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment by analyzing the relative search volumes (RSV) of 24 terms related to R-CPD in the United States using the Google Trends database. METHODS Using Google Trends, data from Google Search queries from the United States related to R-CPD between January 2013 to May 2024 were obtained. The means of RSV from 2013 to 2018 were compared to RSV from 2019 (when R-CPD was officially defined) to the present. Comparisons of the RSV means between these two periods were performed using paired t-tests with p-value <0.05 considered statistically significant. RESULTS The mean RSV of “R-CPD” increased by 116% between 2013-2018 and 2019-2024 (11.5±3.9 to 24.6±15.4, p<0.002). Similar significant trends were observed for other terms, including “why can’t I burp” (4.3±4.8 to 17.6±4.8, p<0.002), “can’t burp” (5.9±1.2 to 9.3±1.6, p<0.002), “need to burp” (35.7±10.0 to 61.7±9.9, p<0.002), and “no burp” (10.9±4.0 to 18.4±5.9, p<0.002). Across all terms, top metropolitan areas showed consistently higher search volumes compared to top regions. CONCLUSIONS The significant increase in queries related to R-CPD likely reflects an increased awareness and interest in R-CPD throughout the United States. Relatively higher search volumes in metropolitan areas may reflect increased awareness, or even prevalence, of this condition in that setting. CLINICALTRIAL