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. Pati

SUBMITTER: Ponce J 

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

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature