An international comparison of the burden of illness in patients with dyspepsia.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study investigates the symptoms and the impact of symptoms on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients consulting with dyspepsia.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with a diagnosis of dyspepsia were recruited from primary and secondary care in Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, South Africa and Spain. Investigators assessed symptom frequency and severity, and subjects completed the following questionnaires: the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), the Quality of Life in Reflux and Dyspepsia (QOLRAD) questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale and the Short Form 36 (SF-36).

RESULTS

853 dyspepsia patients were included. Mean GSRS scores showed that patients were most troubled by abdominal pain and indigestion. QOLRAD scores indicated that symptoms caused emotional distress, food/drink problems and reduced vitality, with a lesser effect on sleep and physical functioning. Mean SF-36 scores were lower than mean normative values for all domains, indicating that patients had a worse HRQL than the normal population, particularly for Bodily Pain, Role Physical and Role Emotional. Of patients in each country, 18-43% were anxious and 11-21% were depressed.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with dyspepsia have reduced HRQL because their symptoms - particularly abdominal pain and indigestion - cause emotional distress, problems with food and drink, and impaired vitality.