doiSerbia

Gastroesophageal reflux disease and functional dyspepsia: What is the real burden on health-related quality of life?

Babič Tamara (University Clinic for Digestive Surgery - First Clinical Surgical Hospital, Clinical Center of Serbia, Department for Minimally Invasive Upper Digestive Surgery, Belgrade)
Dragičević Igor (Public Health Institute, Šabac)
Ćorac Aleksandar (School of Medicine, Kosovska Mitrovica)
Trajković Goran (School of Medicine, Institute for medical statistics, Belgrade + School of Medicine, Belgrade)
Nikolić Luka (University of Edinburgh, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School: Biomedical Sciences, Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
Bjelović Miloš (University Clinic for Digestive Surgery, First Clinical Surgical Hospital, Clinical Center of Serbia, Department for Minimally Invasive Upper Digestive Surgery, Belgrade + School of Medicine, Belgrade)

Introduction/Objective. Recently published studies have addressed the significant impairment of healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) in patients suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and functional dyspepsia (FD). To the best of our knowledge, none of the previously published studies have compared the impact of GERD and FD on HRQoL. The aim of the study was to determine the impact of GERD and FD on HRQoL. Methods. The current sample was extrapolated from a large cross-sectional population-based study conducted in primary health care facilities. Primary care physicians and general internists diagnosed GERD according to the Montreal definition for population-based studies. Also, primary care physicians and general internists diagnosed FD based on the Rome III criteria. The Serbian version of the generic self-administered Center for Disease Control and Prevention questionnaire was used. We used the propensity score method to match GERD and FD samples on variables such as age, gender, education, and adherence to therapy. Results. Regarding self-rated health, similar results were obtained from both groups. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention HRQoL questionnaire version 4 further revealed that functional dyspepsia led to greater disturbances of every-day functioning in regard to the criteria of physically healthy, mentally healthy, and activity limitation days. Conclusion. The results of the study have shown significant impairment of HRQoL in both groups, but, surprisingly, patients with FD experienced more limitations to their every-day functioning compared to patients with GERD.

Keywords: quality of life, gastroesophageal reflux, functional dyspepsia, population study, surveys and questionnaires