Comparison of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and heartburn diagnoses in UK primary care. Ruigómez, A., García Rodríguez, L. A., Wallander, M., Johansson, S., & Dent, J. Current Medical Research and Opinion, 22(9):1661--1668, September, 2006.
doi  abstract   bibtex   
OBJECTIVE: It is unclear how gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is diagnosed in primary care. The aim of this study is to compare patients given a diagnosis of GORD with those diagnosed with heartburn. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from the UK General Practice Research Database were extracted for patients newly diagnosed with heartburn (n = 1841) or GORD (n = 5318) in 1996. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient characteristics, morbidity, healthcare use and prescribed treatments were compared using unconditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: GORD was diagnosed more frequently than heartburn (3.2 vs. 1.1 per 1000 patient-years). A diagnosis of GORD was less likely among females (odds ratio (OR): 0.8; confidence interval (CI): 0.7-0.9), smokers (OR: 0.8; CI: 0.7-0.9) and patients who consulted their physician frequently (OR: 0.8; CI: 0.7-0.9). There was a wide distribution in the ratio of GORD-to-heartburn diagnoses between primary care practices (mean 2.9; range 0-infinity). GORD patients were more likely to receive proton pump inhibitors (OR: 2.9; CI: 2.6-3.4), but 24% of GORD patients and 40% of heartburn patients received no acid-suppressive treatment in the month after diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Several factors influenced the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms by primary care physicians. Further research is needed to aid the diagnosis of GORD in primary care.
@article{ruigomez_comparison_2006,
	title = {Comparison of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and heartburn diagnoses in {UK} primary care},
	volume = {22},
	issn = {0300-7995},
	doi = {10.1185/030079906X120986},
	abstract = {OBJECTIVE: It is unclear how gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is diagnosed in primary care. The aim of this study is to compare patients given a diagnosis of GORD with those diagnosed with heartburn.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Data from the UK General Practice Research Database were extracted for patients newly diagnosed with heartburn (n = 1841) or GORD (n = 5318) in 1996.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patient characteristics, morbidity, healthcare use and prescribed treatments were compared using unconditional logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS: GORD was diagnosed more frequently than heartburn (3.2 vs. 1.1 per 1000 patient-years). A diagnosis of GORD was less likely among females (odds ratio (OR): 0.8; confidence interval (CI): 0.7-0.9), smokers (OR: 0.8; CI: 0.7-0.9) and patients who consulted their physician frequently (OR: 0.8; CI: 0.7-0.9). There was a wide distribution in the ratio of GORD-to-heartburn diagnoses between primary care practices (mean 2.9; range 0-infinity). GORD patients were more likely to receive proton pump inhibitors (OR: 2.9; CI: 2.6-3.4), but 24\% of GORD patients and 40\% of heartburn patients received no acid-suppressive treatment in the month after diagnosis.
CONCLUSIONS: Several factors influenced the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms by primary care physicians. Further research is needed to aid the diagnosis of GORD in primary care.},
	language = {eng},
	number = {9},
	journal = {Current Medical Research and Opinion},
	author = {Ruigómez, Ana and García Rodríguez, Luis Alberto and Wallander, Mari-Ann and Johansson, Saga and Dent, John},
	month = sep,
	year = {2006},
	pmid = {16968569},
	keywords = {Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Child, Child, Preschool, Diagnosis, Differential, Female, Gastroesophageal Reflux, Great Britain, Heartburn, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Primary Health Care},
	pages = {1661--1668}
}

Downloads: 0