Review article: quality-of-life issues in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
The purpose of this review is to explore issues relating to quality of life in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, examining the range of generic and disease-specific instruments available, their applicability and limitations and to overview the effect of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease on quality of life. Whereas instruments have been developed to assist researchers, there is a paucity of reliable instruments for pragmatic use in the clinical setting. The situation is complicated because there is not necessarily a direct correlation between endoscopic findings and symptom severity and non-erosive reflux disease is now recognized as an important manifestation of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. However, quality-of-life instruments are useful in evaluating the impact of therapies and interventions, although these are limited, particularly in surgical interventions. Impaired quality of life now forms part of a definition of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, the impact of which goes beyond the symptoms alone. While the symptoms themselves have a negative effect on sufferers' lives, there are secondary effects caused by impaired physical, emotional and social functioning on productivity. Non-gastrointestinal problems caused by gastro-oesophageal reflux disease also impair quality of life. There is an ongoing need to develop instruments which truly measure the impact of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and which are readily interpretable to the individual patient and clinician.
Quigley
E M M
EM
Department of Medicine, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland. e.quigley@ucc.ie
Hungin
A P S
AP
D004526:Efficiency; D004644:Emotions; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D012919:Social Behavior