Patient-derived health state utilities for gastroesophageal reflux disease.
OBJECTIVE
Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a chronic disease that adversely affects health-related quality of life. The purpose of this study was to derive health state utilities for patients with chronic heartburn symptoms.


METHODS
We used a custom-designed computer program in order to elicit utilities with the time-tradeoff and standard-gamble techniques. Patients with chronic (more than 6 months) symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease entered the study. Two interviews were performed in random sequence either initially on medications for heartburn that adequately controlled symptoms, or off of medications for 1 wk while the patient was symptomatic. We also collected data using visual-analog scales, quality of life in reflux and dyspepsia (QOLRAD), and Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) scores.


RESULTS
We invited 222 patients to participate; 158 (71%) patients (129 men, 29 women) completed the study. Barrett's esophagus was present in 40 (25%), erosive disease in 17 (11%), and 118 (74%) had comorbid conditions. The mean (+/-SD) utility ratings were 0.94 +/- 0.09 on medical therapy and 0.90 +/- 0.12 off medications for patients with reflux alone using time tradeoff (p= 0.004), and 0.94 +/- 8.0 both on and off of antireflux medications with standard-gamble assessment (p= 0.96). Mean time-tradeoff scores were also significantly lower off of medications for patients with other comorbid conditions (p= 0.002). There was no significant difference between mean utility scores for patients with or without Barrett's esophagus or erosive disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Gastroesophageal reflux disease adversely affects health-related quality of life. Time-tradeoff utility for patients with reflux disease is substantially higher when patients are on medication than off medications.
Gerson
Lauren B
LB
Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.
Ullah
Nighat
N
Hastie
Trevor
T
Triadafilopoulos
George
G
Goldstein
Mary
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000150:complications; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D012984:Software