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Structured management strategy versus usual care for gastroesophageal reflux disease: rationale for pooled analysis of five European cluster-randomized trials.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has a major impact at the primary care level and there is a need to evaluate whether the diagnosis and therapeutic management of GERD in Europe needs to be improved. METHODS:This project was designed to test the hypothesis that a new primary care management strategy would improve outcomes for patients with GERD, compared with usual care, in Europe. The analysis pools five separate cluster-randomized studies conducted in Austria, Italy, Norway, Spain and Sweden. These studies used a strategy based on the self-administered GerdQ questionnaire to stratify adult patients with symptoms of heartburn or regurgitation according to the frequency and impact of symptoms. A score of ?8 indicates a high probability of suffering GERD. Patients with a GerdQ impact score ?2 were treated with generic proton-pump inhibitors according to local guidance, and patients with an impact score ?3 were treated with esomeprazole 40?mg once daily. RESULTS:In total, 2400 patients were enrolled across the five studies. The protocols were modified by individual countries according to their local guidelines/requirements. In Norway, the new management strategy was compared with traditional routine endoscopy and 24-hour pH-metry, and encompassed proton-pump inhibitor reimbursement restrictions. Outcome measures differed by country, but included control of GERD symptoms, self-rated health status and work productivity, treatment changes, specialist referrals and physician adherence. GERD-related use of healthcare resources was also evaluated. CONCLUSION:The pooled analysis will determine whether a locally adapted primary care management strategy for GERD, using GerdQ as a patient-tailored diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation tool, is beneficial compared with usual care across five countries with different standard approaches to GERD management and control.

SUBMITTER: Ponce J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3036966 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Structured management strategy versus usual care for gastroesophageal reflux disease: rationale for pooled analysis of five European cluster-randomized trials.

Ponce Julio J Garrigues Vicente V Agréus Lars L Tabaglio Erminio E Gschwantler Michael M Güallar Eliseo E Tafalla Mónica M Nuevo Javier J Hatlebakk Jan G JG

Therapeutic advances in gastroenterology 20110101 1

<h4>Background</h4>Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) has a major impact at the primary care level and there is a need to evaluate whether the diagnosis and therapeutic management of GERD in Europe needs to be improved.<h4>Methods</h4>This project was designed to test the hypothesis that a new primary care management strategy would improve outcomes for patients with GERD, compared with usual care, in Europe. The analysis pools five separate cluster-randomized studies conducted in Austria, It ...[more]

PMID: 21317991

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Project description:BackgroundThe impact of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) on the daily lives of patients managed in primary care is not well known. We report the burden of GERD in a large population of patients managed in primary care, in terms of symptoms and impact on patients' daily lives.MethodsRANGE (Retrospective ANalysis of GERD) was an observational study that was conducted at 134 primary care sites across six European countries. All adult subjects who had consulted their primary care physician (PCP) during a 4-month identification period were screened retrospectively and those consulting at least once for GERD-related reasons were identified. From this population, a random sample of patients was selected to enter the study and attended a follow-up appointment, during which the Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ), the GERD Impact Scale (GIS) and an extra-esophageal symptoms questionnaire were self-administered. Based on medical records, data were collected on demographics, history of GERD, its diagnostic work-up and therapy.ResultsOver the 4-month identification period, 373,610 subjects consulted their PCP and 12,815 (3.4%) did so for GERD-related reasons. From 2678 patients interviewed (approximately 75% of whom reported taking medication for GERD symptoms), symptom recurrence following a period of remission was the most common reason for consultation (35%). At the follow-up visit, with regard to RDQ items (score range 0-5, where high score = worse status), mean Heartburn dimension scores ranged from 0.8 (Sweden) to 1.2 (UK) and mean Regurgitation dimension scores ranged from 1.0 (Norway) to 1.4 (Germany). Mean overall GIS scores (range 1-4, where low score = worse status) ranged from 3.3 (Germany) to 3.5 (Spain). With regard to extra-esophageal symptoms, sleep disturbance was common in all countries in terms of both frequency and intensity.ConclusionIn this large European observational study, GERD was associated with a substantial impact on the daily lives of affected individuals managed in the primary care setting.

Dataset Information

Structured management strategy versus usual care for gastroesophageal reflux disease: rationale for pooled analysis of five European cluster-randomized trials.

Publications

Structured management strategy versus usual care for gastroesophageal reflux disease: rationale for pooled analysis of five European cluster-randomized trials.

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