Dyspepsia management in primary care: a decision analysis of competing strategies

Up-Front Endoscopy Maximizes Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Satisfaction in Uninvestigated Dyspepsia

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Practice guidelines promote a routine noninvasive, non-endoscopic initial approach to investigating dyspepsia without alarm features in young patients, yet many patients undergo prompt upper endoscopy. We aimed to assess tradeoffs among costs, patient satisfaction, and clinical outcomes to inform discrepancy between guidelines and practice.

METHODS

We constructed a decision-analytic model and performed cost-effectiveness/cost-satisfaction analysis over a 1-year time horizon on patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia without alarm features referred to gastroenterology. A RAND/UCLA expert panel informed model design. Four competing diagnostic/management strategies were evaluated: prompt endoscopy, testing for Helicobacter pylori and eradicating if present (test-and-treat), testing for H pylori and performing endoscopy if present (test-and-scope), and empiric acid suppression. Outcomes were derived from systematic reviews of clinical trials. Costs were informed by prospective observational cohort studies and national commercial/federal cost databases. Health gains were represented using quality-adjusted life years.

RESULTS

From the patient perspective, costs and outcomes were similar for all strategies (maximum out-of-pocket difference of $30 and <0.01 quality-adjusted life years gained/year regardless of strategy). Prompt endoscopy maximized cost-satisfaction and health system reimbursement. Test-and-scope maximized cost-effectiveness from insurer and patient perspectives. Results remained robust on multiple one-way sensitivity analyses on model inputs and across most willingness-to-pay thresholds.

CONCLUSIONS

Noninvasive management strategies appear to result in inferior cost-effectiveness and patient satisfaction outcomes compared with strategies promoting up-front endoscopy. Therefore, additional studies are needed to evaluate the drivers of patient satisfaction to facilitate inclusion in value-based healthcare transformation efforts.

Value of the "Test & Treat" Strategy for Uninvestigated Dyspepsia at Low Prevalence Rates of Helicobacter pylori in the Population

BACKGROUND AND AIM

In populations with a low prevalence rate of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection from Western countries, guidelines for the management of uninvestigated dyspepsia generally recommend that the "test and treat" strategy should be avoided in favor of empiric proton-pump inhibitor therapy in younger patients (on average < 50 years of age) without alarm symptoms and signs. The prevalence of H. pylori infection has fallen from about 30% to about 10% in Sweden and other countries. We aimed to explore whether the rationale for test and treat is relevant in contemporary clinical practice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In settings with an infection rate in the adult population of 30% and 10%, we modeled the positive and negative predictive values for indirect (nonendoscopy) tests on current H. pylori infection with a presumed sensitivity and specificity of 95%. We then calculated the difference in false-negative and false-positive test outcome, and eradication prescription rates in the two scenarios.

RESULTS

While the positive predictive value for the test decreased from 0.89 to 0.68 when the prevalence of H. pylori fell from 30% to 10%, there were only 1% more false-negative tests and 1% less false-positive tests. The eradication prescription rate would decrease by 18% with a 10% prevalence rate.

CONCLUSION

The recommendation to stop applying "test and treat" at lower prevalence rates of H. pylori should be reconsidered. The test and treat strategy is the preferred approach for most patients who present with dyspepsia.

A one-year economic evaluation of six alternative strategies in the management of uninvestigated upper gastrointestinal symptoms in Canadian primary care

BACKGROUND

The cost-effectiveness of initial strategies in managing Canadian patients with uninvestigated upper gastrointestinalsymptoms remains controversial.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the cost-effectiveness of six management approaches to uninvestigated upper gastrointestinal symptoms in the Canadian setting.

METHODS

The present study analyzed data from four randomized trials assessing homogeneous and complementary populations of Canadian patients with uninvestigated upper gastrointestinal symptoms with comparable outcomes. Symptom-free months, qualityadjusted life-years (QALYs) and direct costs in Canadian dollars of two management approaches based on the Canadian Dyspepsia Working Group (CanDys) Clinical Management Tool, and four additional strategies (two empirical antisecretory agents, and two prompt endoscopy) were examined and compared. Prevalence data, probabilities, utilities and costs were included in a Markov model, while sensitivity analysis used Monte Carlo simulations. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were determined.

RESULTS

Empirical omeprazole cost $226 per QALY ($49 per symptom-free month) per patient. CanDys omeprazole and endoscopy approaches were more effective than empirical omeprazole, but more costly. Alternatives using H2-receptor antagonists were less effective than those using a proton pump inhibitor. No significant differences were found for most incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. As willingness to pay (WTP) thresholds rose from $226 to $24,000 per QALY, empirical antisecretory approaches were less likely to be the most costeffective choice, with CanDys omeprazole progressively becoming a more likely option. For WTP values ranging from $24,000 to $70,000 per QALY, the most clinically relevant range, CanDys omeprazole was the most cost-effective strategy (32% to 46% of the time), with prompt endoscopy-proton pump inhibitor favoured at higher WTP values.

CONCLUSIONS

Although no strategy was the indisputable cost effective option, CanDys omeprazole may be the strategy of choiceover a clinically relevant range of WTP assumptions in the initial management of Canadian patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia.<p>

Evidence-based approach to dyspepsia: from Helicobacter pylori to functional disease

Patients with dyspepsia may present with associated complaints of abdominal pain, bloating, fullness, acid reflux, and epigastric tenderness on examination. The evaluation of patients with dyspepsia includes taking a comprehensive history and performing a physical examination. Although taking a patient history has its limitations in making an accurate diagnosis, it is useful in guiding the selection of subsequent diagnostic tests. Differential diagnoses of dyspepsia are best addressed using an anatomical approach. Patients with chronic dyspepsia lasting > 1 month should be evaluated for the presence of alarm features. Alarm features mandate an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy examination, as these may be suggestive of a malignancy. In patients without alarm features, a Helicobacter pylori test-and-treat strategy is cost-effective if the prevalence of H. pylori infection is high. Tests for H. pylori infection can be divided into non-invasive and minimally invasive tests. Many different antibiotic combination therapies (eg, triple therapy, quadruple therapy, levofloxacin-based therapy, sequential therapy, concomitant therapy, and probiotics with eradication therapy) are now available for the eradication of H. pylori infection. In patients who are symptomatic without an organic pathology, functional dyspepsia and other causes of abdominal pain need to be considered. Functional dyspepsia is best managed using a multifaceted approach by establishing a good physician-patient relationship, dietary and lifestyle interventions, medical therapy, psychotherapy, and the use of psychotropic medications. This review rationalizes the current-day recommendations for the evaluation and management of patients with dyspepsia in a clinical setting.

Helicobacter Pylori "Test-and-Treat" Strategy for Management of Dyspepsia: A Comprehensive Review

OBJECTIVES:

Deciding on whether the Helicobacter pylori test-and-treat strategy is an appropriate diagnostic–therapeutic approach for patients with dyspepsia invites a series of questions. The aim present article addresses the test-and-treat strategy and attempts to provide practical conclusions for the clinician who diagnoses and treats patients with dyspepsia.

METHODS:

Bibliographical searches were performed in MEDLINE using the keywords Helicobacter pylori, test-and-treat, and dyspepsia. We focused mainly on data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, meta-analyses, cost-effectiveness analyses, and decision analyses.

RESULTS:

Several prospective studies and decision analyses support the use of the test-and-treat strategy, although we must be cautious when extrapolating the results from one geographical area to another. Many factors determine whether this strategy is appropriate in each particular area. The test-and-treat strategy will cure most cases of underlying peptic ulcer disease, prevent most potential cases of gastroduodenal disease, and yield symptomatic benefit in a minority of patients with functional dyspepsia. Future studies should be able to stratify dyspeptic patients according to their likelihood of improving after treatment of infection by H. pylori.

CONCLUSIONS:

The test-and-treat strategy will cure most cases of underlying peptic ulcer disease and prevent most potential cases of gastroduodenal disease. In addition, a minority of infected patients with functional dyspepsia will gain symptomatic benefit. Several prospective studies and decision analyses support the use of the test-and-treat strategy. The test-and-treat strategy is being reinforced by the accumulating data that support the increasingly accepted idea that “the only good H. pylori is a dead H. pylori”.

Current management strategies and emerging treatments for functional dyspepsia

Functional dyspepsia refers to painful and nonpainful symptoms that are perceived to arise in the upper digestive tract but are not secondary to organic, systemic or metabolic diseases. The symptoms of this syndrome often overlap with those of GERD and IBS, making its management far from simple. If Helicobacter pylori infection is diagnosed in patients with functional dyspepsia, it should be treated. In patients with mild or intermittent symptoms, reassurance and lifestyle advice might be sufficient; in patients not responding to these measures, or in those with more severe symptoms, drug therapy should be considered. Both PPIs and prokinetics can be used in initial empirical pharmacotherapy based on symptom patterns--a PPI is more likely to be effective in the presence of retrosternal or epigastric burning or epigastric pain, whereas a prokinetic is more effective in dyspepsia with early satiation or postprandial fullness. Although combinations of PPIs and prokinetics might have additive symptomatic effects, single-drug therapy is initially preferable. Antidepressants or referral to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist can be considered in nonresponders and in those whose symptoms have a marked effect on daily functioning. Despite extensive research, functional dyspepsia treatment often remains unsatisfactory. Better characterization of dyspeptic subgroups and understanding of underlying mechanisms will enable treatment advances to be made in the future.

Usefulness of a fast track list for anxious patients in a upper GI endoscopy

Background

To determine whether patients with no alarm signs who ask the endoscopist to shorten their waiting time due to test result anxiety, represent a risk category for a major organic pathology.

Methods

At our open-access endoscopy service, we set up an expedite list for six months for outpatients who complained that the waiting time for gastroscopy was too long. Over this period we studied 373 gastroscopy patients. In addition to personal details, we collected information on the presence of Hp infection and compliance with dyspepsia guideline indications for gastroscopy.

Results

Average waiting time was 38.2 days (SD 12.7). The 66 patients who considered the waiting time too long underwent gastroscopy within 15 days. We made 5 diagnoses of esophageal and gastric tumour and gastric ulcer (7.6%) among the expedite list patients and 14 (4.6%) among those on the normal list (p=0.31). On including duodenal peptic disease in the analysis, the total prevalence rate rose to 19.7% in the short-wait group and to 10.4% (p=0.036) in the longer-wait group.

Discussion and conclusions

Our data suggests that asking to be fast-tracked does not have prognostic impact on the diagnosis of a major (gastric ulcer and cancer) pathology.

Outcomes research in gastroenterology and endoscopy

Although the field of outcomes research has received increased attention in recent years, there is still considerable uncertainty and confusion about what is “outcomes research”. The following editorial is designed to provide an overview on this topic, illustrate specific examples of outcomes research in clinical gastroenterology and endoscopy, and discuss its importance as a whole. In this article, we review the definition and specific goals of outcomes research. We outline the difference between traditional clinical research and outcomes research and discuss the benefits and limitations of outcomes research. We summarize the types of outcomes studies and methods utilized for outcomes assessment, and give specific examples of the impact of outcomes studies in the field of gastroenterology and endoscopy.

Dyspepsia: organic versus functional

Dyspepsia is the medical term for difficult digestion. It consists of various symptoms in the upper abdomen, such as fullness, discomfort, early satiation, bloating, heartburn, belching, nausea, vomiting, or pain. The prevalence of dyspepsia in the western world is approximately 20% to 25%. Dyspepsia can be divided into 2 main categories: "organic" and "functional dyspepsia" (FD). Organic causes of dyspepsia are peptic ulcer, gastroesophageal reflux disease, gastric or esophageal cancer, pancreatic or biliary disorders, intolerance to food or drugs, and other infectious or systemic diseases. Pathophysiological mechanisms underlying FD are delayed gastric emptying, impaired gastric accommodation to a meal, hypersensitivity to gastric distension, altered duodenal sensitivity to lipids or acids, altered antroduodenojenunal motility and gastric electrical rhythm, unsuppressed postprandial phasic contractility in the proximal stomach, and autonomic nervous system-central nervous system dysregulation. Pathogenetic factors in FD are genetic predisposition, infection from Helicobacter pylori or other organisms, inflammation, and psychosocial factors. Diagnostic evaluation of dyspepsia includes upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, abdominal ultrasonography, gastric emptying testing (scintigraphy, breath test, ultrasonography, or magnetic resonance imaging), and gastric accommodation evaluation (magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound, single-photon emission computed tomography, and barostat). Antroduodenal manometry can be used for the assessment of the myoelectrical activity of the stomach, whereas sensory function can be evaluated with the barostat, tensostat, and satiety test. Management of FD includes general measures, acid-suppressive drugs, eradication of H. pylori, prokinetic agents, fundus-relaxing drugs, antidepressants, and psychological interventions. This review presents an update on the diagnosis of patients presenting with dyspepsia, with an emphasis on the pathophysiological and pathogenetic mechanisms of FD and the differential diagnosis with organic causes of dyspepsia. The management of uninvestigated and FD, as well as the established and new pharmaceutical agents, is also discussed.

Therapeutic strategies for the treatment of dyspepsia

IMPORTANCE OF THE FIELD

Dyspeptic symptoms are highly prevalent in the population and represent a major burden for healthcare systems. The ROME III criteria address and define two separate entities of functional dyspepsia: epigastric pain syndrome and postprandial distress syndrome. The etiology of dyspeptic symptoms is heterogeneous, underlying mechanisms are poorly understood and symptomatic improvement after drug therapy is often incomplete.

AREAS COVERED IN THIS REVIEW

This review of the literature included Medline data being published in the field of functional dyspepsia and different therapies.

WHAT THE READER WILL GAIN

The reader will gain a current, unbiased understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying functional dyspepsia and of the therapeutic regimens based on randomized, controlled trials and on the meta-analyses that have been published on different therapeutic agents.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

Before starting medical treatment, a careful physical examination should exclude 'alarm symptoms'. Laboratory data, ultrasound and endoscopy are recommended in patients older than 45 - 55 years (depending on the guidelines being used). In areas with a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori, the initial strategy includes 'test and treat' for H. pylori in addition to empiric acid suppressive therapy. Many studies have focused on the role of gastrointestinal dysmotility and hypersensitivity for dyspepsia with inconclusive results. Further therapeutic medical strategies include prokinetics, herbal preparations and psycho-/neurotopic drugs as well as additional psycho- or hypnotherapy.

Cost-effectiveness of six strategies for Helicobacter pylori diagnosis and management in uninvestigated dyspepsia assuming a high resource intensity practice pattern

BACKGROUND

Initial assessment of dyspepsia often includes noninvasive testing for Helicobacter pylori infection. Commercially available tests vary widely in cost and accuracy. Although there is extensive literature on the cost-effectiveness of H. pylori treatment, there is little information comparing the cost-effectiveness of various currently used, noninvasive testing strategies.

METHODS

A Markov simulation was used to calculate cost per symptom-free year and cost per correct diagnosis. Uncertainty in outcomes was estimated using probabilistic sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

Under the baseline assumptions, cost per symptom-free year was $122 for empiric proton pump inhibitor (PPI) trial, and costs for the noninvasive test strategies ranged from $123 (stool antigen) to $129 (IgG/IgA combined serology). Confidence intervals had significant overlap.

CONCLUSIONS

Under our assumptions for how testing for H. pylori infection is employed in United States medical practice, the available noninvasive tests all have similar cost-effectiveness between one another as well as with empiric PPI trial.

Current medical treatments of dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome

Dyspepsia is a highly prevalent condition characterized by symptoms originating in the gastroduodenal region without underlying organic disorder. Treatment modalities include acid-suppressive drugs, gastroprokinetic drugs, Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy, tricyclic antidepressants, and psychological therapies. Irritable bowel syndrome is a multifactorial, lower functional gastrointestinal disorder involving disturbances of the brain-gut axis. The pathophysiology provides the basis for pharmacotherapy: abnormal gastrointestinal motor functions, visceral hypersensitivity, psychosocial factors, intraluminal changes, and mucosal immune activation. Medications targeting chronic constipation or diarrhea may also relieve irritable bowel syndrome. Novel approaches to treatment require approval, and promising agents are guanylate cyclase cagonists, atypical benzodiazepines, antibiotics, immune modulators, and probiotics.

Clinical trial: prolonged beneficial effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on dyspepsia consultations - the Bristol Helicobacter Project

BACKGROUND

Chronic infection of the stomach with Helicobacter pylori is widespread throughout the world and is the major cause of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Short-term benefit results from community programmes to eradicate the infection, but there is little information on cumulative long-term benefit.

AIM

To determine whether a community programme of screening for and eradication of H. pylori infection produces further benefit after an initial 2-year period, as judged by a reduction in GP consultations for dyspepsia.

METHODS

A total of 1517 people aged 20-59 years, who were registered with seven general practices in Frenchay Health District, Bristol, had a positive (13)C-urea breath test for H. pylori infection and were entered into a randomized double-blind trial of H. pylori eradication therapy. After 2 years, we found a 35% reduction in GP consultations for dyspepsia (previously reported). In this extension to the study, we analysed dyspepsia consultations between two and 7 years after treatment.

RESULTS

Between two and 7 years after treatment, 81/764 (10.6%) of participants randomized to receive active treatment consulted for dyspepsia, compared with 106/753 (14.1%) of those who received placebo, a 25% reduction, odds ratio 0.84 (0.71, 1.00), P = 0.042.

CONCLUSIONS

Eradication of H. pylori infection in the community gives cumulative long-term benefit, with a continued reduction in the development of dyspepsia severe enough to require a consultation with a general practitioner up to at least 7 years. The cost savings resulting from this aspect of a community H. pylori eradication programme, in addition to the other theoretical benefits, make such programmes worthy of serious consideration, particularly in populations with a high prevalence of H. pylori infection.

Non-invasive testing for Helicobacter pylori in patients hospitalized with peptic ulcer hemorrhage: a cost-effectiveness analysis

PURPOSE

Guidelines recommend routine invasive screening for Helicobacter pylori in patients with peptic ulcer hemorrhage (PUH). However, compliance with screening remains suboptimal. The aim of this study was to determine if a simplified approach based on noninvasive screening is cost effective in PUH.

RESULTS

In the base case, post-endoscopy urea breath test (UBT) dominated the invasive testing with 34 fewer hemorrhages and cost savings of $406,600 in a cohort of 10,000 patients. When compliance with invasive testing decreases to 60%, post-endoscopy UBT leads to 109 fewer hemorrhages and cost savings of $1,089,600. The invasive strategy becomes the preferred choice if the sensitivity of UBT reduces to <75%, such as in patients taking proton-pump inhibitors (PPI) before hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Post-endoscopy UBT is cost effective in PPI-naïve patients presenting with PUH. This strategy, once prospectively validated, can prove to be a preferred approach in institutions where compliance with invasive testing is suboptimal.

Evaluation and management of dyspepsia

Dyspepsia is a common clinical problem seen by both primary care physicians and gastroenterologists. Initial evaluation should focus on the identification and treatment of potential causes of symptoms such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, and medication side effects but also on recognizing those at risk for more serious conditions such as gastric cancer. This manuscript discusses the evaluation and management of dyspepsia including the role of proton-pump inhibitors, treatment of Helicobacter pylori, and endoscopy. Finally, treatment of refractory functional dyspepsia is addressed.

Clinical trial: long-term use of proton pump inhibitors in primary care patients - a cross sectional analysis of 901 patients

BACKGROUND

The use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) is extensive. While the incidence of new treatments remains stable, the prevalence of long-term treatment is rising. Studies have shown that up to 70% of patients on chronic acid suppression lack a verified indication for treatment.

AIMS

To investigate primary care patient characteristics associated with long-term use of PPIs.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis of 42,634 patients registered with 22 general practitioners was performed. Patients with prescriptions of > or =120 tablets/year were defined as long-term users. A survey of a subgroup of patients without verified indication was performed.

RESULTS

In all, 901 (2.1%) patients were long-term treated. Verified indications for treatment were identified for 247/901 (27%). An upper GI endoscopy had been performed in 418 patients (46%). Of the 194/654 without verified indication who participated in the survey, 71% reported heartburn/acid regurgitation as the reason for therapy. On-demand therapy was reported by 43/194 (22%) and previous attempts to withdraw by 119/194 (61%).

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of PPI long-term treatment among primary care patients is 2.1%. The main reason for treatment is reflux symptoms or verified GERD. Rationalization of use of PPIs is possible as daily treatment without attempts to discontinue is frequently observed.

Cost of detecting malignant lesions by endoscopy in 2741 primary care dyspeptic patients without alarm symptoms

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Current guidelines recommend empirical, noninvasive approaches to manage dyspeptic patients without alarm symptoms, but concerns about missed lesions persist; the cost savings afforded by noninvasive approaches must be weighed against treatment delays. We investigated the prevalence of malignancies and other serious abnormalities in patients with dyspepsia and the cost of detecting these by endoscopy.

METHODS

We studied 2741 primary-care outpatients, 18-70 years in age, who met Rome II criteria for dyspepsia. Patients with alarm features (dysphagia, bleeding, weight loss, etc) were excluded. All patients underwent endoscopy. The cost and diagnostic yield of an early endoscopy strategy in all patients were compared with those of endoscopy limited to age-defined cohorts. Costs were calculated for a low, intermediate, and high cost environment.

RESULTS

Endoscopies detected abnormalities in 635 patients (23%). The most common findings were reflux esophagitis with erosions (15%), gastric ulcers (2.7%), and duodenal ulcers (2.3%). The prevalence of upper gastrointestinal malignancy was 0.22%. If all dyspeptic patients 50 years or older underwent endoscopy, 1 esophageal cancer and no gastric cancers would have been missed. If the age threshold for endoscopy were set at 50 years, at a cost of $500/endoscopy, it would cost $82,900 (95% CI, $35,714-$250,000) to detect each case of cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary care dyspeptic patients without alarm symptoms rarely have serious underlying conditions at endoscopy. The costs associated with diagnosing an occult malignancy are large, but an age cut-off of 50 years for early endoscopy provides the best assurance that an occult malignancy will not be missed.

Adherence to best practice guidelines in dyspepsia: a survey comparing dyspepsia experts, community gastroenterologists and primary-care providers

BACKGROUND

Although 'best practice' guidelines for dyspepsia management have been disseminated, it remains unclear whether providers adhere to these guidelines.

AIM

To compare adherence to 'best practice' guidelines among dyspepsia experts, community gastroenterologists and primary-care providers (PCPs).

METHODS

We administered a vignette survey to elicit knowledge and beliefs about dyspepsia including a set of 16 best practices, to three groups: (i) dyspepsia experts; (ii) community gastroenterologists and (iii) PCPs.

RESULTS

The expert, community gastroenterologist and PCP groups endorsed 75%, 73% and 57% of best practices respectively. Gastroenterologists were more likely to adhere with guidelines than PCPs (P < 0.0001). PCPs were more likely to define dyspepsia incorrectly, overuse radiographic testing, delay endoscopy, treat empirically for Helciobacter pylori without confirmatory testing and avoid first-line proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). PCPs had more concerns about adverse events with PPIs [e.g. osteoporosis (P = 0.04), community-acquired pneumonia (P = 0.01)] and higher level of concern predicted lower guideline adherence (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

Gastroenterologists are more likely than PCPs to comply with best practices in dyspepsia, although compliance remains incomplete in both groups. PCPs harbour more concerns regarding long-term PPI use and these concerns may affect therapeutic decision making. This suggests that best practices have not been uniformly adopted and persistent guideline-practice disconnects should be addressed.

Eradication of helicobacter pylori to prevent gastroduodenal diseases: hitting more than one bird with the same stone

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are gram-negative bacteria that selectively colonizes the gastric mucosa. The prevalence of H. pylori infection varies from 20 to 50% in industrialized countries to over 80% in developing countries. The infection may persist lifelong without specific treatment. Prolonged infection and inflammation due to bacterial virulence and host genetic factors will lead to chronic gastritis. A certain portion of infected patients then develop more severe pathologies such as peptic ulcer (10-15%), gastric cancer (1%), and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (50.01%). Although the majority of infected patients remain asymptomatic, much of the evidence has shown that eradication of H. pylori infection can reduce the recurrence of peptic ulcer and benefit a substantial portion of patients with nonulcer dyspepsia. Though controversial in population-based clinical trials, several cost-effectiveness analyses also reveal that H. pylori eradication is cost effective in the primary prevention of gastric cancer. Therefore, the discovery of H. pylori offers the chance to prevent several gastroduodenal diseases by means of their eradication. In other words, gastroenterologists could hit more than one bird with one stone. However, there are concerns regarding application of a 'test and treat' strategy in the general population. In this review, we will focus on current evidence of H. pylori eradication in the primary and secondary prophylaxis of gastric cancer and peptic ulcer disease.

Meta-analysis: Helicobacter pylori'test and treat' compared with empirical acid suppression for managing dyspepsia

BACKGROUND

Which of Helicobacter pylori'test and treat' or empirical acid suppression should be preferred for the initial management of uncomplicated dyspepsia is controversial. Aim To conduct an individual patient data meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of 'test and treat' vs. empirical acid suppression in adults with uncomplicated dyspepsia in primary care.

METHODS

Investigators provided original data sets for analysis. Effect of management strategy on symptom status and dyspepsia-related resource use at 12-month follow-up was examined by pooling symptom and cost data to obtain relative risk (RR) of remaining symptomatic at 12 months and weighted mean difference (WMD) in costs between the two strategies with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

RESULTS

We identified three eligible RCTs containing 1547 patients, 791 (51%) of whom were assigned to 'test and treat'. There was no difference detected in symptom-cure at 12 months (RR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.95-1.03). There was a nonsignificant trend towards cost-savings with 'test and treat' (WMD in costs = - 28.91 pound; 95% CI: - 68.48 pound to 10.65 pound).

CONCLUSIONS

There was little difference in symptom-resolution or costs between the two strategies. A combination of patient and physician preference should determine the initial approach to the management of uncomplicated dyspepsia.

Helicobacter pylori infection: a clinical overview

BACKGROUND

Helicobcater pylori colonizes the stomach of more than half of the world's population, and the infection continues to play a key role in the pathogenesis of a number of gastroduodenal diseases. Colonization of the gastric mucosa with Helicobcater pylori results in the development of chronic gastritis in all infected individuals and in a subset of patients chronic gastritis progresses to complications (i.e. ulcer disease, gastric neoplasias, some distinct extragastric disorders). The clinical outcome of the disease is dependent on many variables, including Helicobcater pylori genotype, innate host physiology, genetic predisposition and environmental factors. Helicobcater pylori eradication decreases the incidence of gastroduodenal ulcer and prevents its recurrence. Helicobcater pylori eradication for gastric cancer prevention has been suggested by preclinical research and clinical trials, showing even reversibility of precancerous lesions (atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia) after Helicobcater pylori eradication.

AIMS

To review the current literature about H. pylori and its related pathologies.

CONCLUSION

At present, several clinical manifestations are recognized to be causally linked to Helicobcater pylori infection, and most of them can be cured by Helicobcater pylori eradication. Besides the relationship of Helicobcater pylori and gastroduodenal diseases, it has been well established that Helicobcater pylori infection is also involved in some extragastrointestinal diseases.

Dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori

Dyspepsia is defined as a chronic or recurrent pain centered in the upper abdomen. Dyspeptic symptoms have a high prevalence in the population and represent a common reason for patients to see a primary care physician. Therefore, dyspepsia displays a major health care burden and produces high socioeconomic costs. The etiology of dyspeptic symptoms is various and complex and has opened a wide spectrum of putative mechanisms. In a subset of patients dyspeptic symptoms are likely to originate from Helicobacter pylori infection. Population-based studies have demonstrated that H. pylori is detected more frequently in dyspeptic patients compared to controls. H. pylori eradication therapy gives modest but significant benefit in non-ulcer dyspepsia and leads to long-term symptom improvement. It also reduces the risk of developing peptic ulcer disease and other H. pylori-related gastric pathologies (i.e. atrophic gastritis, gastric cancer). The main therapeutic strategy for managing dyspepsia in patients under the age of 45 years is 'test and treat'. H. pylori eradication is recommended in patients with dyspepsia and no other gastroduodenal abnormalities than H. pylori induced gastritis. In patients presenting with alarm features a prompt upper endoscopy should be performed to exclude peptic ulcer disease, esophageal and gastric malignancies or other more rare upper gastrointestinal diseases.

A second-order simulation model of the cost-effectiveness of managing dyspepsia in the United States

BACKGROUND

The "gold-standard'' evidence of effectiveness for a clinical practice guideline is the randomized controlled trial (RCT), although RCTs have a limited ability to explore potential management strategies for a chronic disease where these interact over time. Modeling can be used to fill this gap, and models have become increasingly complex, with both dynamic sampling and representation of second-order uncertainty to provide more precise estimates. However, both simulation modeling and probabilistic sensitivity analysis are rarely used together. The objective of this study was to explore uncertainty in controversial areas of the 2005 American Gastroenterology Association position statement on the management of dyspepsia.

METHODS

Individual sampling model, incorporating a second-order probabilistic sensitivity analysis.

POPULATION

US adult patients presenting in primary care with dyspepsia. Interventions compared: empirical acid suppression, test and treat for Helicobacter pylori, initial endoscopy, acid suppression then endoscopy, test and treat then proton pump inhibitor (PPI) then endoscopy.

OUTCOMES

Cost-effectiveness, quality-adjusted life years, and costs in US dollars from a societal perspective, measured over a 5-year period.

DATA SOURCES

mainly Cochrane meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Endoscopy was dominated at all ages by other strategies. PPI therapy was the most cost-effective strategy in 30-year-olds with a low prevalence of H. pylori. In 60-year-olds, H. pylori test and treat was the most cost-effective option.

CONCLUSIONS

Acid suppression alone was more cost-effective than either endoscopy or H. pylori test and treat in younger dyspepsia patients with a low prevalence of infection.

Endoscopic reflux esophagitis in patients with upper abdominal pain-predominant dyspepsia

BACKGROUND

Reflux symptom assessment had reliable accuracy in the diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). However, patients may recognize heartburn or regurgitation as dyspepsia because of inaccurate understanding or atypical presentation. The aim of the present study was to estimate endoscopic reflux esophagitis in patients with upper abdominal pain as a predominant symptom in the absence of heartburn or regurgitation.

METHODS

Two hundred and sixty-three consecutive patients presenting dyspepsia without heartburn or regurgitation were enrolled. Patients with heartburn or regurgitation were excluded using the symptom interviewer method. Dyspepsia was categorized into pain-predominant or dysmotility-predominant groups according to the Rome II proposal. Endoscopic reflux esophagitis was graded using the Los Angeles classification.

RESULTS

One hundred and five patients were included in the pain-predominant group and 119 in the dysmotility-predominant group. Reflux esophagitis was found in 18.8% (42/224) of all dyspeptic patients. Grade A esophagitis was noted in 27.6% (29/105) of the pain-predominant group and in 7.6% (9/119) of the dysmotility-predominant group. Grade B was noted in two patients in each group. A total of 29.5% (31/105) and 9.3% (11/119) had reflux esophagitis, respectively (P < 0.001). Comparing patients with or without reflux esophagitis, there was no difference in body mass index, smoking habit, alcohol consumption, or Helicobacter pylori infection status.

CONCLUSIONS

A significant proportion of patients presenting dyspepsia, especially pain-predominant dyspepsia, have endoscopic reflux esophagitis. In view of GERD, pain-predominant dyspepsia should be investigated and managed differently from dysmotility-predominant dyspepsia.

The cost-effectiveness and budget impact of competing therapies in hepatic encephalopathy - a decision analysis

BACKGROUND

Treatment options for hepatic encephalopathy have disparate risks and benefits. Non-absorbable disaccharides and neomycin are limited by uncertain efficacy and common dose-limiting side effects. In contrast, rifaximin is safe and effective in hepatic encephalopathy, but is more expensive.

METHODS

We conducted a decision analysis to calculate the cost-effectiveness of six strategies in hepatic encephalopathy: (i) no hepatic encephalopathy treatment, (ii) lactulose monotherapy, (iii) lactitol monotherapy, (iv) neomycin monotherapy, (v) rifaximin monotherapy and (vi) up-front lactulose with crossover to rifaximin if poor response or intolerance of lactulose ('rifaximin salvage'). The primary outcome was cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained.

RESULTS

Under base-case conditions, 'do nothing' was least effective and rifaximin salvage was most effective. Lactulose monotherapy was least expensive, and rifaximin monotherapy was most expensive. When balancing cost and effectiveness, lactulose monotherapy and rifaximin salvage dominated alternative strategies. Compared to lactulose monotherapy, rifaximin salvage cost an incremental US$2315 per quality-adjusted life-year-gained. The cost of rifaximin had to fall below US$1.03/tab in order for rifaximin monotherapy to dominate lactulose monotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Rifaximin monotherapy is not cost-effective in the treatment of chronic hepatic encephalopathy at current average wholesale prices. However, a hybrid salvage strategy, reserving rifaximin for lactulose-refractory patients, may be highly cost-effective.

The budget impact of endoscopic screening for esophageal varices in cirrhosis

BACKGROUND

The cost-effectiveness of screening for esophageal varices in cirrhosis remains uncertain. Previous analyses found that screening with upper endoscopy (EGD) may not be cost effective versus empiric beta-blocker (BB) therapy. However, these models were conducted before advances in variceal screening, including capsule endoscopy (CE), and they did not measure the budget impact (vs cost-effectiveness) of variceal screening.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the managed care budget impact of variceal screening strategies.

DESIGN

Budget impact model.

SETTING

Hypothetical managed care organization with 1 million covered lives.

PATIENTS

Patients with compensated cirrhosis.

INTERVENTIONS

Compared 5 strategies: (1) empiric BB, (2) screening EGD followed by BB if varices present (EGD --> BB), (3) EGD followed by endoscopic band ligation if varices present (EGD --> EBL), (4) CE followed by BB if varices present (CE --> BB), and (5) CE followed by EBL if varices present (CE --> EBL).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT

Per-member per-month cost.

RESULTS

BB was the least expensive, and CE --> EBL was the most expensive. Substituting CE --> BB in lieu of BB cost each member an additional $0.20 per month to subsidize. Compared with CE --> BB, both EGD-based strategies were more expensive. However, CE was not viable in managed care organizations capable of reducing the cost of endoscopy below $410, unless the cost of CE was reduced in lockstep.

LIMITATIONS

Data on CE remain limited.

CONCLUSIONS

Screening for varices may have an acceptable budget impact but is highly sensitive to local costs of EGD and CE. In managed care organizations willing to subsidize EBL for variceal prophylaxis, it is inefficient to screen with CE compared with EGD.

Eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori

Eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori is recommended in a number of clinical conditions. In this article, we discuss the epidemiology and cellular mechanisms that result in antimicrobial resistance, the results of current eradication therapies, and new approaches to the management of Helicobacter pylori infection.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of two management strategies for dyspepsia

OBJECTIVES

To compare the cost-effectiveness of endoscopy and empirical proton pump inhibition (PPI) therapy for management of dyspepsia in primary care.

METHODS

A randomized controlled trial, including prospective collection of economic resource data, was conducted in general practice from June 2000 to August 2002, Aarhus County, Denmark. We randomly assigned 368 dyspeptic patients from thirty-two general practices to treatment with omeprazol 40 mg for 2 weeks (n=184) or endoscopy (n=184). The study adopted a societal perspective, and the year of costing was 2006.

OUTCOME MEASURES

days free of dyspeptic symptoms and proportion of patients with dyspepsia after 1 year based on patients' and general practitioners' (GPs) assessment. Costs were estimated from patient and GP questionnaires and from medical records.

RESULTS

The incremental cost-effectiveness (CE) ratio for 1 day free of dyspeptic symptoms using the endoscopy strategy was euro/day 154 compared with the PPI strategy. The incremental CE ratio for one person free of dyspeptic symptoms after 1 year using the endoscopy strategy was euro13,905 based on the patients' evaluation, and the incremental CE ratio for one person free of predominant symptoms after 1 year was euro5,990 according to the GPs' evaluation. The PPI strategy was both cheaper and more effective than the endoscopy strategy when reflux was the predominant symptom.

CONCLUSIONS

A strategy using empirical antisecretory PPI therapy should be recommended if the alternative is an endoscopy strategy for managing dyspeptic patients in general practice, especially if reflux was the predominant symptom.

An economic model of long-term use of celecoxib in patients with osteoarthritis

Background

Previous evaluations of the cost-effectiveness of the cyclooxygenase-2 selective inhibitor celecoxib (Celebrex, Pfizer Inc, USA) have produced conflicting results. The recent controversy over the cardiovascular (CV) risks of rofecoxib and other coxibs has renewed interest in the economic profile of celecoxib, the only coxib now available in the United States. The objective of our study was to evaluate the long-term cost-effectiveness of celecoxib compared with nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (nsNSAIDs) in a population of 60-year-old osteoarthritis (OA) patients with average risks of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) complications who require chronic daily NSAID therapy.

Methods

We used decision analysis based on data from the literature to evaluate cost-effectiveness from a modified societal perspective over patients' lifetimes, with outcomes expressed as incremental costs per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. Sensitivity tests were performed to evaluate the impacts of advancing age, CV thromboembolic event risk, different analytic horizons and alternate treatment strategies after UGI adverse events.

Results

Our main findings were: 1) the base model incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for celecoxib versus nsNSAIDs was $31,097 per QALY; 2) the ICER per QALY was $19,309 for a model in which UGI ulcer and ulcer complication event risks increased with advancing age; 3) the ICER per QALY was $17,120 in sensitivity analyses combining serious CV thromboembolic event (myocardial infarction, stroke, CV death) risks with base model assumptions.

Conclusion

Our model suggests that chronic celecoxib is cost-effective versus nsNSAIDs in a population of 60-year-old OA patients with average risks of UGI events.

Symptom overlap in patients with upper gastrointestinal complaints in the Canadian confirmatory acid suppression test (CAST) study: further psychometric validation of the reflux disease questionnaire

BACKGROUND

The reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ) is a short, patient-completed instrument.

AIMS

To investigate the psychometric characteristics of the RDQ in patients with heartburn-predominant (HB) and non-heartburn predominant (NHB) dyspepsia.

METHODS

HB (n = 388) and NHB (n = 733) patients were randomized to esomeprazole 40 mg daily or twice daily for 1 week, followed by 3 weeks of esomeprazole 40 mg daily.

RESULTS

High factor loadings (0.78-0.86) supported the 'regurgitation' dimension of the RDQ. Overlapping factor loadings in the 'heartburn' and 'dyspepsia' dimensions suggested symptom overlap. All dimensions demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.79-0.90). Intra-class correlation coefficients over 4 weeks were good (0.66-0.85). The RDQ showed good responsiveness over 4 weeks of treatment, with high effect sizes (> or =0.80). Moderate or large symptom improvements were reported by 90% and 77% of HB and NHB patients, respectively, following treatment. Patients who responded to acid suppression also experienced symptom benefits in all RDQ dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS

The RDQ is reliable, valid and responsive to change in HB and NHB patients. The symptom overlap is important but need not play a major role in determining treatment strategy as both patient groups benefited from proton pump inhibitor treatment.

Non-invasive assessment of chronic liver and gastric diseases

BACKGROUND

In patients with both chronic liver diseases and dyspepsia there is the need for non-invasive, inexpensive and effective laboratory tests. These tests should not substitute but complement and integrate the information derived from invasive techniques such as liver biopsy and esofagogastroduodenoscopy. Natural history studies indicate that advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis develop in about 20%-40% of patients with chronic hepatitis B or C, and in a similar proportion of those with alcoholic or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. In these patients, precise definition of the hepatic fibrosis stage is the most important parameter to assess the risk of disease progression and to decide for an immediate and appropriate antiviral therapy.

METHODS

Liver biopsy represents the gold standard for evaluating the presence, type and stage of liver fibrosis but a body of evidence has been accumulated to demonstrate the limitations of this technique, including inter- and intra-observer variations, sampling errors and variability. In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the possibility of identifying and describing liver fibrosis by using non-invasive, surrogate markers measurable in blood. Many studies have been dedicated to the evaluation of "direct" markers of fibrogenesis, while a second approach is based on the evaluation of single or combined biochemical parameters that reflect the stage of liver disease. Upper gastrointestinal symptoms are common in developed countries and this makes impossible the use of esofagogastroduodenoscopy in all patients with dyspepsia. The Maastricht 2-2000 Consensus meeting has suggested screening and treating Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic patients in primary health care as the first line of therapy for newly onset dyspepsia.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination panels of biomarkers have been demonstrated to improve the accuracy of the single tests and with the use of algorithms based on sequential combination of non-invasive biomarkers a high diagnostic accuracy has been achieved for liver fibrosis. This, in turn, translates in a reduction by >50% in the need of taking liver biopsies. A biochemical panel which includes the measurement of serum pepsinogen I and II, gastrin G-17 and anti-H. pylori antibodies for patients with gastric disease, due to its high negative predictive value, appears to be a valuable approach to screen patients <55 years and with no alarm features, assuring safety and cost-effectiveness.

Economic evaluation of empirical antisecretory therapy versus Helicobacter pylori test for management of dyspepsia: a randomized trial in primary care

OBJECTIVES

An economic evaluation was performed of empirical antisecretory therapy versus test for Helicobacter pylori in the management of dyspepsia patients presenting in primary care.

METHODS

A randomized trial in 106 general practices in the County of Funen, Denmark, was designed to include prospective collection of clinical outcome measures and resource utilization data. Dyspepsia patients (n = 722) presenting in general practice with more than 2 weeks of epigastric pain or discomfort were managed according to one of three initial management strategies: (i) empirical antisecretory therapy, (ii) testing for Helicobacter pylori, or (iii) empirical antisecretory therapy, followed by Helicobacter pylori testing if symptoms improved. Cost-effectiveness and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of the strategies were determined.

RESULTS

The mean proportion of days without dyspeptic symptoms during the 1-year follow-up was 0.59 in the group treated with empirical antisecretory therapy, 0.57 in the H. pylori test-and-eradicate group, and 0.53 in the combination group. After 1 year, 23 percent, 26 percent, and 22 percent, respectively, were symptom-free. Applying the proportion of days without dyspeptic symptoms, the cost-effectiveness for empirical treatment, H. pylori test and the combination were 12,131 Danish kroner (DKK), 9,576 DKK, and 7,301 DKK, respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness going from the combination strategy to empirical antisecretory treatment or H. pylori test alone was 54,783 DKK and 39,700 DKK per additional proportion of days without dyspeptic symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Empirical antisecretory therapy confers a small insignificant benefit but costs more than strategies based on test for H. pylori and is probably not a cost-effective strategy for the management of dyspepsia in primary care.

Comparison between empirical prokinetics, Helicobacter test-and-treat and empirical endoscopy in primary-care patients presenting with dyspepsia: A one-year study

AIM: To investigate the optimal strategy to treat dyspeptic patients in primary care.

METHODS: Dyspeptic patients presenting to primary care outpatient clinics were randomly assigned to: (1) empirical endoscopy, (2) H pylori test-and-treat, and (3) empirical prokinetic treatment with cisapride. Early endoscopy was arranged if patients remained symptomatic after 2 wk. Symptom severity, quality-of-life (SF-36) as well as patient preference and satisfaction were assessed. All patients underwent endoscopy by wk 6. Patients were followed up for one year.

RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty four patients were recruited (163 female, mean age 49). 46% were H pylori positive. 26% of H pylori tested and 25% of empirical prokinetic patients showed no improvement at wk 2 follow-up and needed early endoscopy. 15% of patients receiving empirical cisapride responded well to treatment but peptic ulcer was the final diagnosis. Symptom resolution and quality-of-life were similar among the groups. Costs for the three strategies were HK$4343, $1771 and $1750 per patient. 66% of the patients preferred to have early endoscopy.

CONCLUSION: The three strategies are equally effective. Empirical prokinetic treatment was the least expensive but peptic ulcers may be missed with this treatment. The H pylori test-and-treat was the most cost-effective option.

Proton pump inhibitor or testing for Helicobacter pylori as the first step for patients presenting with dyspepsia? A cluster-randomized trial

OBJECTIVES

The optimal approach for management of patients with dyspepsia has not been determined. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of three strategies for management of dyspepsia: empirical antisecretory therapy, testing for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), or a combination of the two.

METHODS

Cluster-randomized trial in general practices. Initial treatment with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) was performed in 222 patients, H. pylori test-and-eradicate in 250 patients, and PPI followed by H. pylori-testing if symptoms improved in 250 patients. Symptoms, quality of life, patient satisfaction, and use of resources were recorded during a 1-yr follow-up.

RESULTS

The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 24%. We found no difference among the three strategies (p=0.16) in terms of the proportion of days without dyspeptic symptoms. After 1 yr gastrointestinal symptom scores and quality-of-life scores had improved significantly and equally in the three groups (p<0.001), but no statistically significant differences were found among the groups. The mean use of endoscopies per patient after 1 yr was higher in the PPI group (0.36 [95% CI 0.30-0.43]) than in the test-and-eradicate group (0.28 [95% CI 0.23-0.34]) and the combination group (0.22 [95% CI 0.17-0.27]), p=0.02. H. pylori-positive patients given eradication therapy had more days without dyspeptic symptoms (p<0.001), used less antisecretory therapy (p<0.01), and were more satisfied (p<0.001) than H. pylori-negative patients.

CONCLUSION

The strategies based on H. pylori test enjoyed similar symptom resolution, but reduced endoscopic workload and lower 1-yr total costs compared with empirical antisecretory therapy.

Guidelines for the management of dyspepsia

Dyspepsia is a chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort centered in the upper abdomen; patients with predominant or frequent (more than once a week) heartburn or acid regurgitation, should be considered to have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) until proven otherwise. Dyspeptic patients over 55 yr of age, or those with alarm features should undergo prompt esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD). In all other patients, there are two approximately equivalent options: (i) test and treat for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) using a validated noninvasive test and a trial of acid suppression if eradication is successful but symptoms do not resolve or (ii) an empiric trial of acid suppression with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for 4-8 wk. The test-and-treat option is preferable in populations with a moderate to high prevalence of H. pylori infection (> or =10%); empirical PPI is an initial option in low prevalence situations. If initial acid suppression fails after 2-4 wk, it is reasonable to consider changing drug class or dosing. If the patient fails to respond or relapses rapidly on stopping antisecretory therapy, then the test-and-treat strategy is best applied before consideration of referral for EGD. Prokinetics are not currently recommended as first-line therapy for uninvestigated dyspepsia. EGD is not mandatory in those who remain symptomatic as the yield is low; the decision to endoscope or not must be based on clinical judgement. In patients who do respond to initial therapy, stop treatment after 4-8 wk; if symptoms recur, another course of the same treatment is justified. The management of functional dyspepsia is challenging when initial antisecretory therapy and H. pylori eradication fails. There are very limited data to support the use of low-dose tricyclic antidepressants or psychological treatments in functional dyspepsia.

Frontiers in functional dyspepsia

Functional dyspepsia (FD) refers to unexplained pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen and is commonly seen in gastroenterology practice. The underlying pathophysiologic mechanisms associated with FD are unclear, although traditionally, delayed gastric emptying, visceral hypersensitivity to acid or mechanical distention, and impaired gastric accommodation have been implicated as putative physiologic disturbances. It also remains uncertain whether FD and irritable bowel syndrome are different presentations of the same disorder. Recent data on pathophysiologic mechanisms of FD have focused on postprandial motor disturbances (accelerated gastric emptying, antral-fundic incoordination, and abnormal phasic contractions), alterations of neurohormonal mechanisms in response to a meal, and previous acute infection. Pharmacologic therapies for FD may be guided by these novel mechanisms, as current available therapeutic options are limited. Novel prokinetics and gastric accommodation modulators, visceral analgesics, and agents targeting the neurohormonal response to food ingestion are the next therapeutic frontiers in FD. This review summarizes traditional knowledge and more recent advances in the pathophysiology of FD and potential therapeutic opportunities.

Is it possible to reduce endoscopy workload using age, alarm symptoms and H. pylori as predictors of peptic ulcer and oesophagogastric cancers?

OBJECTIVES

We examined referrals to oesophagogastroduodenoscopy and the impact of demographic and clinical variables to predict major findings (peptic ulcer, cancer) on oesophagogastroduodenoscopy.

METHODS

We collected data on 3669 consecutive patients referred for oesophagogastroduodenoscopy.

RESULTS

Dyspeptic and reflux symptoms constituted 80% of oesophagogastroduodenoscopy referrals. A major finding was observed in 419 patients (11.4%). The mean age of cancer patients was 72.7 years (95% confidence interval (CI) 70.0-76.5 years) and that of peptic ulcer patients 62.0 years (95% CI 60.5-63.5 years). Independent risk factors for a major finding were age >50 years (odds ratio (OR) 1.62, 95% CI 1.24-2.10), male sex (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.11-1.72), ulcer-type pain (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.80-3.02), weight loss (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.14-2.53), anaemia (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.38-2.40), bleeding symptoms (OR 3.27, 95% CI 2.26-4.75) and Helicobacter pylori (OR 2.49, 95% CI 2.00-3.11), whereas reflux symptoms were protective (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.53-1.00). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of age over 50 years with alarm symptoms to predict major finding was 0.68 (95% CI 0.65-0.71), which positive H. pylori status increased to 0.71 (95% CI 0.69-0.74). Of the major findings, 87.2% were detected in patients with risk factors. Major findings were detected in 15.1% patients with and 8.1% (p < 0.001) without alarm symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Dyspeptic and reflux symptoms constitute the majority of oesophagogastroduodenoscopy workload. Discriminative power of alarm symptoms even with positive H. pylori status to detect peptic ulcer or cancer was low. Because of their low cancer risk, reflux and dyspeptic patients younger than 50 years can be treated without oesophagogastroduodenoscopy.

Cost-effectiveness of a 'score and scope' strategy for the management of dyspepsia

OBJECTIVE

It is important to identify the best initial work-up in patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia because of its epidemiological and economical relevance. The objective of the study was to assess systematically the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of invasive and non-invasive strategies for the management of dyspepsia.

METHODS

A decision analysis was performed to compare prompt endoscopy, score and scope, test and scope, test and treat, and empirical antisecretory treatment. Published and local data on the prevalence of different diagnoses, rates of Helicobacter pylori infection, accuracy values of diagnostic tests, and effectiveness of drug treatments were used. The perspective of analysis was that of the public healthcare payer, and only direct costs were included, with a one-year post-therapy time horizon. The main outcome measure was cost per asymptomatic patient, valued in 2003 Euros.

RESULTS

Endoscopy was found to be the most effective strategy for the management of dyspepsia (38.4% asymptomatic patients), followed by test and scope (35.5%), test and treat (35.3%), score and scope (34.7%), and empirical treatment (28.5%). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios showed that score and scope was the most cost-effective alternative (483.17 Euros per asymptomatic patient), followed by prompt endoscopy (1396.85 Euros). Sensitivity analyses showed variations when varying the values of prevalence of duodenal ulcer, and the values of healing of functional dyspepsia with antisecretory and eradication drugs. There were no changes when varying the prevalence of H. pylori in dyspepsia.

CONCLUSIONS

We would recommend stratifying patients by a score system, referring first to endoscopy those patients at higher risk of organic dyspepsia.

Dyspepsia and GERD: breaking the rules

Dyspepsia is a common condition in clinical practice. Economic models have suggested that empirical PPI therapy may be cost-effective in uninvestigated dyspepsia. Empirical PPI therapy is an attractive alternative to endoscopic investigation in young dyspeptic patients who are not infected with Helicobacter pylori.

Combination of age and sex improves the ability to predict upper gastrointestinal malignancy in patients with uncomplicated dyspepsia: a prospective multicentre database study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Current guidelines recommend endoscopy for dyspeptic patients >45 yr of age and/or with "alarm" symptoms. The management of younger patients with uncomplicated dyspepsia is controversial. The objective of the study was to identify any risk factors predictive of upper gastrointestinal malignancy in patients with uncomplicated dyspepsia and validate their ability in refining indications for endoscopy.

METHODS

Prospective database study of consecutive uninvestigated dyspeptic outpatients undergoing endoscopy was performed. A questionnaire including multiple possible prognostic variables was systematically submitted to patients prior to endoscopic examination. Risk factors for upper gastrointestinal malignancy identified were used to derive a prediction rule subsequently validated on an independent population.

RESULTS

A total of 5,224 patients with uncomplicated dyspepsia were considered (training sample). Twenty-two (16 males) had malignancy at endoscopy. These patients were about 20 yr older than patients with no malignancy (p < 0.001). The mean age of females with cancer was almost 10 yr higher compared to males (p= 0.08). Such differences in age were confirmed in a split sample of 3,684 patients (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). The age cut-offs identified were 35 yr for males and 56 yr for females.

CONCLUSIONS

The age threshold for endoscopy should be lowered in males to decrease the risk of missing cancers, and can be safely increased in females without affecting outcomes. In patients with uncomplicated dyspepsia, the combination of age and gender provides a better discriminant power than age alone.

Dyspepsia management in primary care: a management trial

The aim was to evaluate the outcomes associated with four initial management strategies in new patients presenting to primary care physicians with dyspepsia. Patients with new symptoms (no alarm features) were randomised to empirical therapy (n = 11), Helicobacter pylori (HP) serology (n = 8), HP breath testing (n = 11) or oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (n = 13). Dyspepsia and health-related quality of life were assessed using standardised questionnaires at entry, 6 and 24 weeks post-trial enrollment. Outcomes were assessed by structured telephone interview every 6 weeks. In the initial HP testing arms, 21% were positive; 27% in the oesophagogastroduodenoscopy arm had inflammatory changes without ulcers at baseline. The majority (67%) received over the counter medication after initial management. Symptom-free status was similarly common in all groups (p = 0.49); only 20% pursued further evaluation. Total billed charges were higher in the oesophagogastroduodenoscopy group (US 2077 dollars) vs. empirical therapy (US 512 dollars), despite excluding the charge for initial oesophagogastroduodenoscopy, but overall, no effects on total medical charges were detected (p = 0.10). Regardless of initial management, most patients remained symptomatic, yet did not return for health care visits or undergo endoscopies. The cost of upfront endoscopy may not be the best choice for patients presenting with new dyspepsia.