Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology.
Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Eur J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2022 Feb 1;34(2):161-167. doi: 10.1097/MEG.0000000000002070.
Barrett's esophagus is a premalignant condition in the lower part of the esophagus, caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease. Previous studies found that having a Barrett's esophagus is associated with a significant decrease of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Over the past decade, a considerable amount of literature has been published on the development of endoscopic treatment for (early) neoplasia in Barrett's esophagus. Though, currently very little is known about the impact of those endoscopic treatments on HRQOL from the perspective of patients. In this study, we aim to assess the factors influencing HRQOL according to Barrett's esophagus patients.
By using a qualitative focus group design, patients with nondysplastic Barrett's esophagus and patients with a history of endoscopic treatment for Barrett's dysplasia were included. Data were analysed following the conventional content analyses approach.
A total of 34 patients participated in the four focus group sessions. Experiencing symptoms was valued as the most important factor in both groups. Other factors identified as important HRQOL influencers were: use of medication, fear of cancer and trust in physicians and endoscopic procedures.
In general, Barrett's esophagus patients experienced a good HRQOL, with a minimal emotional burden from the diagnosis of Barrett's esophagus. Most influencing factor on HRQOL was: experiencing reflux and dyspepsia symptoms. This study underlines the importance of adequate gastroesophageal reflux treatment and providing information to Barrett's esophagus patients, tailored to their personal needs.
巴雷特食管是食管下段的一种癌前病变，由胃食管反流病引起。既往研究发现，巴雷特食管与健康相关生活质量（HRQOL）显著下降有关。在过去的十年中，大量文献已经发表了关于巴雷特食管（早期）肿瘤的内镜治疗的发展。然而，目前从患者的角度来看，对于这些内镜治疗对 HRQOL 的影响知之甚少。在这项研究中，我们旨在评估巴雷特食管患者 HRQOL 的影响因素。
采用定性焦点小组设计，纳入无异型增生的巴雷特食管患者和有巴雷特食管异型增生内镜治疗史的患者。数据按照常规内容分析方法进行分析。
共有 34 名患者参加了四个焦点小组会议。两组患者均认为出现症状是最重要的因素。被确定为影响 HRQOL 的其他重要因素包括：用药、对癌症的恐惧以及对医生和内镜检查程序的信任。
一般来说，巴雷特食管患者的 HRQOL 良好，对巴雷特食管的诊断没有明显的情绪负担。对 HRQOL 影响最大的因素是：反流和消化不良症状。本研究强调了充分治疗胃食管反流病和向巴雷特食管患者提供信息的重要性，这些信息应根据患者的个人需求进行定制。
