The burden of diurnal and nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms

Abstract

Aims: To quantify the relationship between the timing of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and the burden of illness. Patients & methods: Data from the 2010 National Health and Wellness Survey were used. Regression analyses compared non-GERD controls with GERD patients with diurnal symptoms, nocturnal symptoms, and both diurnal and nocturnal symptoms, controlling for potential confounders. Outcome measures included the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment and Short Form-12 questionnaires and reported healthcare resource use. Results: All GERD groups demonstrated a substantial burden of illness compared with controls, estimated at US$1435 in direct costs and US$3143 in lost productivity. Experiencing GERD both day and night was associated with higher costs and lower quality of life than experiencing diurnal-only or nocturnal-only symptoms. Conclusion: Experiencing GERD symptoms both day and night is associated with higher costs than experiencing diurnal or nocturnal symptoms alone.

Keywords::

• direct costs
• GERD
• health-related quality of life
• healthcare resource use
• indirect costs
• work productivity

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Amir Goren and Shaloo Gupta for their contributions to the design and input into the analysis of this project, and Jeffrey Vietri for his assistance in the literature review.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The National Health and Wellness Survey (NHWS) is conducted by Kantar Health. Eisai purchased access to the NHWS dataset and funded the analysis for this project. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

Writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript. Jeffrey Vietri, a paid consultant to Kantar Health, assisted with the preparation of this manuscript.