Structured management strategy based on the Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Questionnaire (GerdQ) vs. usual primary care for GERD: pooled analysis of five cluster-randomised European studies

Clinical Implications of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire and Reflux Symptom Index in Patients With Suspected Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Symptoms

Background/Aims

To evaluate the usefulness of gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire (GerdQ) and reflux symptom index (RSI) for diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients with suspected laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms (cough, hoarseness, globus, and throat pain).

Methods

A total of 98 patients with LPR symptoms were incorporated from either gastroenterology or otorhinolaryngology clinic. Patient’s laryngoscopic findings were graded by reflux finding score (RFS), and RFS ≥ 7 was considered as positive LPR. Erosive esophagitis on endoscopy or abnormal results on ambulatory impedance-pH monitoring were used as diagnostic criteria for GERD. Esophageal motor function was evaluated using high-resolution esophageal manometry.

Results

Ninety-three (94.9%) of the 98 subjects were diagnosed as LPR by RFS, but only 15 (15.3%) had GERD. For GerdQ, the cutoff value of 9 showed the highest area under curve (AUC) to diagnose GERD by receiver operating curve analysis (AUC = 0.565); the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were unsatisfactory (50.0%, 70.7%, 22.6%, and 89.2%, respectively.) RSI also showed poor performance in diagnosing GERD; the cutoff value of 25 showed the highest yield (AUC = 0.581); the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 42.9%, 79.3%, 26.1%, and 89.0%, respectively. Ineffective esophageal motility was frequently observed (69 of 98, 70.4%), but there was no difference in esophageal motility parameters between GERD and non-GERD patients.

Conclusions

In patients with LPR symptoms, significant discrepancies are observed between laryngoscopic diagnosis and GERD. In this population, neither GerdQ nor RSI is useful in diagnosing GERD.

The diagnostic value of GerdQ in subjects with atypical symptoms of gastro-esophageal reflux disease

BACKGROUND

Symptoms are essential in the clinical diagnosis of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD). Questionnaires such as GerdQ have been developed as diagnostic aids. GerdQ has been thoroughly validated in well-characterized GERD patients, but has not yet been fully evaluated in a population that includes subjects with atypical symptoms.

AIM

To evaluate GerdQ in a population with typical and/or atypical symptoms of GERD, defined by 24-h pH monitoring. The secondary aim was to investigate the outcome of GerdQ depending on the response to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment.

METHODS

The study included 646 subjects referred for 24-h pH monitoring due to a clinical suspicion of GERD. All subjects completed GerdQ before performing a 24-h pH monitoring.

RESULTS

In total, 377 (58%) subjects were diagnosed with GERD based on symptoms and 24-h pH monitoring (GERD_pH). Of these, 46% had atypical main symptoms. Overall, GerdQ (at cut-off 8) predicted GERD_pH with a sensitivity and specificity of 62% and 74%, respectively. A high specificity but poor sensitivity for diagnosis of GERD_pH was found for atypical main symptoms such as cough, dysphagia and globus. GerdQ had a relatively high sensitivity and specificity in predicting PPI response and a PPV of 99% at cut-off 8.

CONCLUSIONS

GerdQ has a diagnostic value in an unselected population presenting with typical and/or atypical symptoms of GERD, but a low sensitivity for diagnosis of GERD_pH was found in subjects with predominant symptoms such as cough, dysphagia and globus.

Validation of the Korean Version of the Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire for the Diagnosis of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Background/Aims

The Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GerdQ) has been developed and validated as a tool for the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms. However, the GerdQ and the cutoff value for determining GERD has not been validated in Korea.

Methods

Patients with symptoms suggestive of GERD were consecutively recruited. The Korean version of GerdQ was developed through a forward-backward translation process according to the cross-cultural adaptation method. Endoscopically documented esophagitis, abnormal results on 24-hour ambulatory pH recording with symptom association monitoring, or response to proton pump inhibitor treatment were used as diagnostic references for GERD. The reproducibility and test characteristics of the Korean version of GerdQ were assessed.

Results

A total of 149 patients with a median age of 55 years were analyzed. The intra-class correlation coefficient of 2 subsequently measured GerdQ scores was 0.651 (95% CI, 0.518-0.748). The cutoff value of 8 was found to have the highest sensitivity (64.9%; 95% CI, 56.2-73.7) and specificity (71.4%; 95% CI, 56.5-86.4) for the diagnosis of GERD. The questionnaire had a high positive predictive value (88.1%; 95% CI, 81.2-95.0), but a low negative predictive value (38.5%; 95% CI, 26.2-50.3) for GERD. Any symptom improvement on proton pump inhibitor treatment showed a sensitivity of 93.0% (95% CI, 88.3-97.7) and a specificity of 48.6% (95% CI, 32.0-65.1) for GERD.

Conclusion

The Korean version of GerdQ is a useful complementary tool in the diagnosis of GERD.

Predictors of proton pump inhibitor failure in non-erosive reflux disease: A study with impedance-pH monitoring and high-resolution manometry

BACKGROUND

Approximately one-third of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients have symptoms resistant to proton pump inhibitor (PPI). We used the high-resolution manometry (HRM) and multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) monitoring to investigate potential predictors of PPI failure in non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) patients.

METHODS

One hundred and seventeen NERD patients were included, within which there were 44 PPI failure patients. The symptomatic questionnaire GerdQ, HRM and 24-hour MII-pH monitoring were performed before PPI therapy. PPI failure was defined as persistent reflux symptoms for more than 1 day during the last week on esomeprazole (20 mg twice daily) for continuous 4 weeks. The predictors for PPI failure were investigated by multivariable logistic regression analysis.

KEY RESULTS

Proton pump inhibitor failure patients had lower body mass index (BMI) and more concomitant functional dyspepsia (FD) symptoms. PPI failure patients had a higher percentage of type I esophagogastric junction (EGJ) morphology (p = 0.005), increased EGJ augmentation (p = 0.000), higher prevalence of esophageal motility disorders (p = 0.005) and a higher ratio of negative symptom index (SI, p = 0.000). Multivariable regression analysis showed that concomitance of FD symptoms, EGJ augmentation and negative SI were independent risk factors for PPI failure in NERD.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Approximately half of PPI failure patients were found to have esophageal motility disorders in HRM. The independent risk factors for PPI failure in NERD were concomitant FD symptoms, increased EGJ augmentation and negative SI.

Correlation between gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire and erosive esophagitis in school-aged children receiving endoscopy

BACKGROUND

The gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) questionnaire (GerdQ) is a validated questionnaire that was developed recently to help identify GERD patients. The sensitivity and specificity of GerdQ for the diagnosis of GERD in adult patients were 65% and 71%, respectively. Because the application of GerdQ in pediatric population is largely unknown, the aim of this study is to establish the endoscopic correlation between Chinese GerdQ and grades of erosive esophagitis (EE) in Taiwanese children.

METHODS

Seventy-four children (aged 9-18 years) were evaluated by our version of the Chinese GerdQ prior to receiving esophagogastroduodenoscopy for warning upper gastrointestinal symptoms. Grades of EE were assessed blindly, according to the Los Angeles classification. The sensitivity and specificity of GerdQ for detecting endoscopic EE were analyzed.

RESULTS

In 74 patients, the male to female ratio was 1:1.1 and the mean age was 14.2 ± 2.3 years (age range: 9.2-17.9 years). Thirty-nine percent of the enrolled patients had EE. The sensitivity and specificity of GerdQ (with a cutoff score of ≥7) to identify EE patients were 65.5% and 80%, respectively. The odds ratio of GerdQ for a cutoff score of 7 to identify EE was 7.6 (95% confidence interval = 2.6-21.9, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

For the identification of EE in children, the Chinese GerdQ had similar sensitivity and specificity to that used for adults. This questionnaire may be applied as a noninvasive screening tool.

The impact of esophageal reflux-induced symptoms on quality of life after gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer

Purpose

To evaluate the prevalence of esophageal reflux-induced symptoms after gastrectomy owing to gastric cancer and assess the relationship between esophageal reflux-induced symptoms and quality of life.

Materials and Methods

From January 2012 to May 2012, 332 patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The patients had a history of curative resection for gastric cancer at least 6 months previously without recurrence, other malignancy, or ongoing chemotherapy. Esophageal reflux-induced symptoms were evaluated with the GerdQ questionnaire. The quality of life was evaluated with the European Organization for Research and Treatment QLQ-C30 and STO22 questionnaires.

Results

Of the 332 patients, 275 had undergone subtotal gastrectomy and 57 had undergone total gastrectomy. The number of GerdQ(+) patients was 58 (21.1%) after subtotal gastrectomy, and 7 (12.3%) after total gastrectomy (P=0.127). GerdQ(+) patients showed significantly worse scores compared to those for GerdQ(-) patients in nearly all functional and symptom QLQ-C30 scales, with the difference in the mean score of global health status/quality of life and diarrhea symptoms being higher than in the minimal important difference. Additionally, in the QLQ STO22, GerdQ(+) patients had significantly worse scores in every symptom scale. The GerdQ score was negatively correlated with the global quality of life score (r=-0.170, P=0.002).

Conclusions

Esophageal reflux-induced symptoms may develop at a similar rate or more frequently after subtotal gastrectomy compared to that after total gastrectomy, and decrease quality of life in gastric cancer patients. To improve quality of life after gastrectomy, new strategies are required to prevent or reduce esophageal reflux.

The role of primary care physicians in early diagnosis and treatment of chronic gastrointestinal diseases

Chronic gastrointestinal disorders are a source of substantial morbidity, mortality, and cost. They are common in general practice, and the primary care physician (PCP) has a central role in the early detection and management of these problems. The need to make cost-effective diagnostic and treatment decisions, avoid unnecessary investigation and referral, provide long-term effective control of symptoms, and minimize the risk of complications constitute the main challenges that PCPs face. The literature review shows that, although best practice standards are available, a considerable number of PCPs do not routinely follow them. Low rates of colorectal cancer screening, suboptimal testing and treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection, inappropriate use of proton pump inhibitors, and the fact that most PCPs are still approaching the irritable bowel disease as a diagnosis of exclusion represent the main gaps between evidence-based guidelines and clinical practice. This manuscript points out that updating of knowledge and skills of PCPs via continuing medical education is the only way for better adherence with standards and improving quality of care for patients with gastrointestinal diseases.

Validation of the GerdQ questionnaire for the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

BACKGROUND

The diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) remains a challenge as both invasive methods and symptom-based strategies have limitations. The symptom-based management of GERD in primary care may be further optimised with the use of a questionnaire.

AIM

To assess the diagnostic validity of the GerdQ questionnaire in patients with symptoms suggestive of GERD.

METHODS

Patients with symptoms suggestive of GERD without alarm features, underwent upper endoscopy, and if normal, pH-metry. Patients were followed for 4 weeks and GerdQ was completed blinded to the investigator at both visits. Reflux oesophagitis or pathological acid exposure was used as diagnostic references for GERD. The diagnostic accuracy for GERD on symptom response to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) was assessed.

RESULTS

Among the 169 patients, a GerdQ cutoff ≥9 gave the best balance with regard to sensitivity, 66% (95% CI: 58-74), and specificity, 64% (95% CI: 41-83), for GERD. The high prevalence of reflux oesophagitis (81%) resulted in a high proportion of true positives, but at the same time a high proportion of false-negatives. Consequently, GerdQ had a high positive predictive value, 92% (95% CI: 86-97), but a low negative predictive value, 22% (95% CI: 13-34), for GERD. Symptom resolution on PPI therapy had high sensitivity, 76% (95% CI: 66-84), but low specificity, 33% (95% CI: 17-53), for GERD.

CONCLUSIONS

GerdQ is a useful complementary tool for the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease in primary care. The implementation of GerdQ could reduce the need for upper endoscopy and improve resource utilisation. Symptom resolution on proton pump inhibitor did not predict gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.