Reductions in symptom distress reported by patients with moderately severe, nonerosive gastroesophageal reflux disease treated with rabeprazole.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is characterized by heartburn and related symptoms that are distressing to patients and interfere with everyday functioning and well-being. A measure of symptom distress, the GERD Symptom Assessment Scale (GSAS), was included in two randomized, placebo-controlled trials of rabeprazole among patients with nonerosive GERD. The age (mean +/- SD) of the 223 patients was 43.5 +/- 11.9 years, and most were female (67%) and Caucasian (78%). Significantly greater reductions in symptom distress were observed among patients receiving rabeprazole 20 mg daily for 4 weeks relative to those receiving placebo (-0.62 vs -0.36, P < 0.0001). The magnitude of this treatment difference was comparable to the differences observed between levels of overall symptom improvement on the patient global rating (0.2 and 0.3 points; P < 0.0001). In conclusion, reducing symptom distress is an important goal of therapeutic interventions for GERD. Rabeprazole significantly reduced the distress associated with a broad range of GERD symptoms, and the magnitude of this effect was meaningful to patients.
Covance Health Economics and Outcomes Services Inc., Gaithersburg, Maryland 20878, USA.
Anne
A
Damiano
Reshmi
R
Siddique
Xiao
X
Xu
John
J
Johanson
Sheldon
S
Sloan
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000328:Adult; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011594:Psychometrics; D064750:Rabeprazole; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012803:Sick Role
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D064750:Rabeprazole; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases; D009853:Omeprazole