TY - JOUR
T1 - A population-based survey to assess troublesome symptoms in gastroesophageal reflux disease
AU - Reimer, Christina
AU - Bytzer, Peter
N1 - Keywords: Absenteeism; Adolescent; Adult; Antacids; Cost of Illness; Denmark; Efficiency; Female; Gastroesophageal Reflux; Health Surveys; Humans; Life Style; Male; Middle Aged; Proton Pump Inhibitors; Severity of Illness Index; Young Adult
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - OBJECTIVE: A simple frequency and severity threshold for categorizing reflux symptoms as troublesome has been suggested, but there is a lack of confirmatory studies for this threshold. The objectives of this study were to examine the characteristics for troublesome symptoms and to compare different ways of categorizing reflux symptoms as troublesome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Members of a web panel responding to an e-mail invitation (1623/3506, median age interval 40-44 years, 51% female) who reported reflux symptoms during the preceding 4 weeks (n=1284) were linked to the full questionnaire. Associations between self-reported troublesome symptoms (10-graded VAS) and troublesome symptoms (mild symptoms >1 day/week or moderate/severe symptoms > or = 1 day/week) and clinical characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 1284 subjects, 482 (38%) reported reflux symptoms. Agreement on the classification of troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity and self-reported troublesome symptoms was poor to fair. Using 4 as the cut-off point on the VAS showed the best agreement (kappa = 0.35). Of the 482 symptomatic respondents, 266 (55%) had troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity and 274 (57%) had self-reported troublesome symptoms. Subjects (n=80) who had self-reported troublesome symptoms, but were not categorized as having troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity, reported health concerns, work productivity loss and medical treatment significantly more often (p< or =0.03) than subjects (n=194) with troublesome symptoms according to both categorizations. CONCLUSIONS: Classification of troublesome reflux symptoms based on frequency and severity is too simplistic. Health concerns, disrupted work productivity and night-time symptoms add to the perception of symptoms as troublesome.
AB - OBJECTIVE: A simple frequency and severity threshold for categorizing reflux symptoms as troublesome has been suggested, but there is a lack of confirmatory studies for this threshold. The objectives of this study were to examine the characteristics for troublesome symptoms and to compare different ways of categorizing reflux symptoms as troublesome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Members of a web panel responding to an e-mail invitation (1623/3506, median age interval 40-44 years, 51% female) who reported reflux symptoms during the preceding 4 weeks (n=1284) were linked to the full questionnaire. Associations between self-reported troublesome symptoms (10-graded VAS) and troublesome symptoms (mild symptoms >1 day/week or moderate/severe symptoms > or = 1 day/week) and clinical characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: Out of 1284 subjects, 482 (38%) reported reflux symptoms. Agreement on the classification of troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity and self-reported troublesome symptoms was poor to fair. Using 4 as the cut-off point on the VAS showed the best agreement (kappa = 0.35). Of the 482 symptomatic respondents, 266 (55%) had troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity and 274 (57%) had self-reported troublesome symptoms. Subjects (n=80) who had self-reported troublesome symptoms, but were not categorized as having troublesome symptoms based on frequency and severity, reported health concerns, work productivity loss and medical treatment significantly more often (p< or =0.03) than subjects (n=194) with troublesome symptoms according to both categorizations. CONCLUSIONS: Classification of troublesome reflux symptoms based on frequency and severity is too simplistic. Health concerns, disrupted work productivity and night-time symptoms add to the perception of symptoms as troublesome.
U2 - 10.1080/00365520802600987
DO - 10.1080/00365520802600987
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 19065448
SN - 0036-5521
VL - 44
SP - 394
EP - 400
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology
IS - 4
ER -