Quality of life in patients with various Barrett's esophagus associated health states.
BACKGROUND
The management of Barrett's esophagus (BE), particularly high grade dysplasia (HGD), is an area of much debate and controversy. Surgical esophagectomy, intensive endoscopic surveillance and mucosal ablative techniques, especially photodynamic therapy (PDT), have been proposed as possible management strategies. The purpose of this study was to determine the health related quality of life associated with Barrett's esophagus and many of the pivotal health states associated with Barrett's HGD management.


METHODS
20 patients with Barrett's esophagus were enrolled in a pilot survey study at a large urban hospital. The utility of Barrett's esophagus without dysplasia (current health state) as well as various health states associated with HGD management (hypothetical states as the subject did not have HGD) were measured using a validated health utility instrument (Paper Standard Gamble). These specific health states were chosen for the study because they are considered pivotal in Barrett's HGD decision making. Information regarding Barrett's HGD was presented to the subject in a standardized format that was designed to be easily comprehendible.


RESULTS
The average utility scores (0-1 with 0 = death and 1 = perfect health) for the various Barrett's esophagus associated states were: BE without dysplasia-0.95; Post-esophagectomy for HGD with dysphagia-0.92; Post-PDT for HGD with recurrence uncertainty-0.93; Post-PDT for HGD with recurrence uncertainty and dysphagia-0.91; Intensive endoscopic surveillance for HGD-0.90.


CONCLUSIONS
We present the scores for utilities associated with Barrett's esophagus as well as various states associated with the management of HGD. The results of our study may be useful in advising patients and providers regarding expected outcomes of the various HGD management strategies as well as providing utility scores for future cost-effectiveness analyses.
Hur
Chin
C
Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. chur@mgh-ita.org
Wittenberg
Eve
E
Nishioka
Norman S
NS
Gazelle
G Scott
GS
D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D003657:Decision Making; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology; D004945:Esophagoscopy; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012008:Recurrence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires