title: Health-related quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease--the effect of upper gastrointestinal symptom treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Upper gastrointestinal discomfort decreases the already impaired health status of patients with cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether acid suppressive therapy improves health-related quality of life in patients who developed upper gastrointestinal symptoms after starting low-dose acetylsalicylic acid.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trail, cardiac patients using low-dose (80 mg) acetylsalicylic acid with (n = 142) and without (n = 90) upper gastrointestinal symptoms were included. Patients with symptoms were treated with rabeprazole or placebo for 4 weeks. At baseline and 4 weeks information about gastrointestinal symptoms and health-related quality of life was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 73 patients assigned to rabeprazole when compared with 69 patients given placebo reported the same quality of life scores 4 weeks after randomization. The differences in quality of life scores between patients with and without symptoms at baseline remained after 4 weeks. Patients in whom treatment led to complete symptom relief or those who remained symptom-free reported significantly higher scores for Physical Component Summary (P < 0.01) and Mental Component Summary (P < 0.01), when compared to those with persistent symptoms or new onset symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proton-pump inhibitor therapy did not improve quality of life. Upper gastrointestinal symptom relief in itself considerably increased quality of life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Heart Center, University Medical Center St Radboud, PO Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. l.vanrossum@mdl.umcn.nl
authors.forename: L G M
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: van Rossum
authors.forename: R J F
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Laheij
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vlemmix
authors.forename: J B M J
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: F W A
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Verheugt
mesh_terms: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011788:Quality of Life; D064750:Rabeprazole
chemical_list: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D064750:Rabeprazole; D009853:Omeprazole