The impact of gastroesophageal reflux disease on quality of life.
BACKGROUND
Quality of life as a medical endpoint has become an important measure in clinical research.


METHODS
In this article, we review the recent literature that has examined the impact of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and its treatment of quality of life.


RESULTS
The increasing interest in measuring patients' quality of life as an outcome reflects an increasing awareness that traditional physiological endpoints often do not correlate well with patients' functional status, general well-being, and satisfaction with therapy. It has been shown that GERD has a significant impact on patients' quality of life; therefore, improvement of quality of life is one of the major goals of GERD treatment. This can be achieved by medical as well as surgical treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to the patients' perspective, quality of life is one of the major endpoints in medical research that will help provide more selective treatment regimens for our patients.
Kamolz
T
T
Division of Clinical Psychology, Public Hospital of Zell am See, A-5700 Zell am See, Austria. thomas.kamolz@kh-zellamsee.at
Pointner
R
R
Velanovich
V
V
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D018662:Fundoplication; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D064747:Lansoprazole; D010535:Laparoscopy; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D064747:Lansoprazole; D011899:Ranitidine; D009853:Omeprazole