title: Impact of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease on work productivity despite therapy with proton pump inhibitors in Germany.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common disorder with consequences for the patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL). In Germany, few data are available on the impact of GERD on work-related productivity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the impact of GERD on work productivity despite proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and the association between productivity and symptom duration, severity, and HRQoL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective data from randomly selected patients with chronic GERD symptoms, treated by office-based general practitioners or general internists with routine clinical care, were analyzed together with information from self-administered instruments assessing work productivity (WPAI-GERD), symptoms (RDQ), and HRQoL (QOLRAD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reduced productivity was reported by 152 of 249 patients (61.0%), although 89.5% of them were treated with PPI. The reduction in work productivity was 18.5% in all patients and 30.3% in those with reduced productivity. Patients with impaired productivity showed a significantly lower HRQoL and more-severe symptoms of reflux disease. In all patients, the mean sick leave attributable to reflux symptoms was 0.6 hours in the previous seven days and 1.4 work days in the previous three months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GERD has a substantial impact on work productivity in Germany, even in patients receiving routine clinical care and PPI therapy.
authors.affiliation: Internistische Klinik Dr. Müller, München, Germany. gross@muellerklinik.de
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Beckenbauer
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burkowitz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walther
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brueggenjuergen
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D004526:Efficiency; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation
chemical_list: D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors
references.citation: Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2005 Feb;17(2):229-33
references.pmid: 15674102
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2008 Jan;50(1):25-31
references.pmid: 18188078
references.citation: Value Health. 2002 Mar-Apr;5(2):106-13
references.pmid: 11918826
references.citation: Pharmacoeconomics. 1996 Nov;10(5):460-6
references.pmid: 10172868
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 2001 Mar;46(3):571-80
references.pmid: 11318535
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003 May 15;17(10):1309-17
references.pmid: 12755844
references.citation: Gut. 2005 May;54(5):710-7
references.pmid: 15831922
references.citation: Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2003 Oct 28;1:62
references.pmid: 14613560
references.citation: Z Gastroenterol. 2002 Jan;40(1):15-20
references.pmid: 11803496
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2001 Jan;96(1):52-7
references.pmid: 11197287
references.citation: Eur J Surg Suppl. 1998;(583):41-9
references.pmid: 10027672
references.citation: Dig Dis Sci. 2007 Oct;52(10):2858-65
references.pmid: 16897349
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Jun 1;23(11):1601-5
references.pmid: 16696809
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Jul 15;24(2):259-72
references.pmid: 16842452
references.citation: Dig Dis. 2004;22(2):108-14
references.pmid: 15383750
references.citation: Curr Med Res Opin. 2006 Apr;22(4):657-62
references.pmid: 16684426
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Feb 1;23(3):371-6
references.pmid: 16422996
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2003 Oct 15;18(8):767-76
references.pmid: 14535869
references.citation: Aust Fam Physician. 2008 Jan-Feb;37(1-2):73-7
references.pmid: 18239758
references.citation: World J Gastroenterol. 2005 Dec 7;11(45):7148-51
references.pmid: 16437662
references.citation: Pharmacoeconomics. 1993 Nov;4(5):353-65
references.pmid: 10146874
references.citation: Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006 Jun 15;23(12):1725-33
references.pmid: 16817916
references.citation: Fam Pract. 2005 Dec;22(6):591-603
references.pmid: 16024554
references.citation: J Occup Environ Med. 2004 Jun;46(6 Suppl):S12-22
references.pmid: 15194892
references.citation: Am J Gastroenterol. 2001 Aug;96(8 Suppl):S57-61
references.pmid: 11510773
references.citation: Rev Esp Enferm Dig. 2006 Jul;98(7):518-26
references.pmid: 17022701