title: Measuring dyspepsia: a new severity index validated in Bologna.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Measurement of the severity of dyspepsia symptoms before and after treatment and determining what is a significant change is a major problem in designing dyspepsia treatment studies.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the reproducibility, validity and responsiveness to treatment of a dyspepsia questionnaire to be used in clinical and population-based studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three dyspeptic patients (35 male, 38 female; mean age 52 years) and 75 healthy volunteers (32 male, 43 female; mean age 52 years) were included. Subjects were interviewed for the presence/absence and severity/frequency of 19 gastrointestinal symptoms. Severity was measured on a 5-point scale. Frequency was also recorded on a 5-point scale. A global symptom index (severity x frequency) was calculated for the eight most severe symptoms; a mean global symptom index (8-MGSI) was considered for the evaluation of the instrument. To evaluate intra-observer variation, one author interviewed subjects (T0) and then repeated the interview 1 week later (T1). For inter-observer variation, two authors interviewed patients. VALIDITY was measured by comparing 8-MGSI of the dyspepsia patients to those of healthy volunteers. Responsiveness was assessed by comparing mean global symptom index before and 1 month after appropriate therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reproducibility: The mean 8-MGSI was 4.5 at T0 and 3.7 at T1 with a correlation coefficient of 0.62. As for inter-observer variation, the average 8-MGSI was 4.8 by the first author and 3.9 by the second with a correlation coefficient of 0.60.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean 8-MGSI was, respectively, 1.4 in healthy volunteers and 4.8 in dyspeptic patients (p = 0.001). Responsiveness: After treatment, a significant improvement in 8-MGSI was detected (p = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This questionnaire is a reliable, valid and responsive instrument for measuring the presence, severity and frequency of dyspepsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Bologna, Policlinico S. Orsola, Via Massarenti n 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zagari
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pozzato
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fiorini
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ricciardiello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martuzzi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roda
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bazzoli
authors.forename: S J O Veldhuyzen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: van Zanten
mesh_terms: D001944:Breath Tests; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires