title: Quality of life and cost-effectiveness of combined therapy for reflux esophagitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate clinical, Quality of Life (QoL) and medical cost outcomes in patients with symptomatic reflux esophagitis (RE) receiving different "triple combination therapy".
  
  
  METHODS
  A multicenter medical effectiveness trial conducted in 10 hospitals of 5 regions in Zhejiang Province. 248 patient-volunteers were assigned to 8 weeks of "triple combination therapy" with Lansoprazole plus Cisapride and Sucralfate or Ranitidine plus Cisapride and Sucralfate. Main outcomes assessment included symptoms scale scores, RE severity, QoL at baseline and 8 weeks. Medical cost data were collected with cost analysis questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1) More Lansoprazole group patients noted RE symptoms resolution than Ranitidine group (92.3% vs 78.4%, P<0.01). There was no striking difference between two groups in RE healing rate (90.8% vs 82.9%, P>0.05). (2) RE significantly impaired QoL of patients (P<0.001). Compared with Ranitidine group, QoL in Lansoprazole group had significant improvement (rate of "good" QoL 64.5% vs 45.6%, P<0.01). (3) There was close correlation between symptomic effectiveness and QoL rating scale in both the Lansoprazole and Ranitidine group (P<0.01, r=0.235 and 0.353 respectively). There were no statistical difference of medical cost between the two groups (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RE significantly impaired QoL of patients. "Triple combination therapies" can significantly improve RE symptoms and QoL. Lansoprazole combination therapy was more cost-effective than Ranitidine combination group.
authors.affiliation: Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310016, China. sijm@163.net
authors.forename: Jian-min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Si
authors.forename: Liang-jing
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shu-jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dai
mesh_terms: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000328:Adult; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020117:Cisapride / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D064747:Lansoprazole; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D011788:Quality of Life; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013392:Sucralfate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D064747:Lansoprazole; D013392:Sucralfate; D011899:Ranitidine; D009853:Omeprazole; D020117:Cisapride