Health resource utilization and drug treatment pattern in a cohort of patients with a first episode of gastroesophageal reflux disease.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the demographics, comorbidity, and health care resource utilization, as well as treatment patterns among gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) patients.


METHODS
We identified a population-based cohort of newly diagnosed GORD patients receiving cimetidine, ranitidine or omeprazole. Our final study population consisted of 1193 patients, who were followed up for 1 year.


RESULTS
Mild symptoms were reported in 44% of cases, moderate in 52%, and 4% had a severe episode. Moderate and severe cases were more likely to undergo endoscopy and to be hospitalized for GORD than mild cases. They also had a higher probability of receiving long-term continuous treatment and to start initial treatment with omeprazole rather than with cimetidine or ranitidine. Initial treatment failure was greater among severe cases and in patients started on H(2)-blockers.


CONCLUSIONS
This study has shown that severity of initial GORD episode is significantly associated with an increased use of health resources, and is the major determinant of initial treatment failure. Patients started on H(2)-blockers also had a greater risk of initial treatment failure compared to patients started on omeprazole.
García Rodríguez
L A
LA
Centro Español de Investigación Farmacoepidemiológica, Madrid, Spain. lagarcia@ceife.es
Ruigómez
A
A
Wallander
M A
MA
Johansson
S
S
Stålhammar
N O
NO