Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic motility disorder resulting in reflux of stomach contents in to the esophagus. It has a prevalence rate of 10-20% in the western world. In the Gulf region, the prevalence of GERD is not yet well characterized. Annually, millions of Muslims gather from across the world embark on a religious pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. They rep...