The Diagnosis and Therapy Survey October 1978-March 1983, health care consumption and current drug therapy in Sweden with respect to the clinical diagnosis of gastritis

Management of dyspepsia

Proper management of uninvestigated dyspepsia is a challenging task for any clinician. Efficient and cost-effective management of such patients requires careful history taking and awareness of the available options.

The cost of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, dyspepsia and peptic ulcer disease in Sweden

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease (PUD) and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) involve a substantial cost to Swedish society. There is a lack of up-to-date nationwide cost estimates after 1985. This study was conducted to present a comprehensive and updated cost analysis and study the change over time of the national cost of these disorders.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Primarily, data from National Swedish databases and secondly, data from databases from the County of Uppsala for 1997 were used for the calculations and estimations.

PERSPECTIVE

Swedish societal perspective.

RESULTS

The total cost to Swedish society of dyspepsia, PUD and GORD in 1997 was $US424 million, or $US63 per adult. Direct costs totalled $US258 million (61%) while indirect costs totalled $US166 million (39%). The highest proportions of costs were due to drugs and sick leave, these being 37 and 34%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The cost of dyspepsia and GORD is substantial for patients, health providers and society. Since 1985, drug costs have increased substantially while the cost of sick leave has decreased.

Natural history of gastroesophageal reflux disease and functional abdominal disorders: a population-based study

OBJECTIVE

Symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), dyspepsia, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are generally considered to be chronic conditions, but community-based studies are sparse, and long-term natural history data are unavailable. We aimed to determine the natural history of these conditions.

METHODS

A representative Swedish sample (20-79 yr) completed a validated questionnaire over the preceding 3 months. The survey was repeated after 1 and 7 yr in the same target group (n = 1290, 1260, and 1065; response rates 90%, 87%, and 82%, respectively; 79% responded to all three mailings).

RESULTS

The prevalence of GERD symptoms remained stable, whereas the prevalence of IBS increased over time, independent of aging. Dyspepsia decreased with advancing age. Although more than half of those with IBS reported the same symptom profile after 1 and 7 yr, there was a substantial symptom fluctuation and symptom profile flux between those reporting dyspepsia, IBS, or minor symptoms. Only a minority with GERD (<10%) changed to dyspepsia and/or IBS, or vice versa. The symptom-free patients remained symptom-free or reported only minor symptoms in > or = 90% of cases.

CONCLUSION

There seem to be two distinct populations of symptom reporters, those with dyspepsia or IBS, and those with GERD.

Current indications for acid suppressants in dyspepsia

Anti-secretory drug use is common in patients with uninvestigated and functional dyspepsia, but the value of such agents has been controversial. Four large studies have evaluated the symptomatic outcome after a short course of acid inhibition in patients with uninvestigated dyspepsia presenting in primary care. All of these studies demonstrated a superior symptom response to proton pump inhibitor therapy compared with placebo and acid-alginates or H(2)-receptor antagonists. In patients with documented functional dyspepsia, 17 parallel group trials have evaluated an H(2)-receptor antagonist against placebo, with mixed results. A recent Cochrane review based on eight controlled trials concluded that there was a significant benefit of H(2)-blockers over placebo with a relative risk reduction of 30%, but as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease was not excluded, the conclusions are questionable. Six controlled studies have compared symptom relief after a short course of proton pump inhibitor therapy compared with placebo. Overall, there does appear to be a therapeutic gain with proton pump inhibitors over placebo, although how much of this is explained by undiagnosed gastro-oesophageal reflux disease remains unclear. There is conflicting evidence on the value of symptom subgrouping as a predictor of response to acid suppression. Overall, there is little convincing evidence that Helicobacter pylori infection influences the therapeutic outcome of acid-suppressant therapy. In conclusion, there appears to be a subgroup of patients with functional dyspepsia who will respond to acid suppression over and above placebo, but further work is required to characterize these responders.

Drug-induced symptoms of functional dyspepsia and nausea. A symmetry analysis of one million prescriptions

BACKGROUND

A large variety of drugs have been implicated in causing dyspepsia. Due to the high background incidence of dyspepsia it is impossible to distinguish between spontaneous and truly drug-related symptoms. Most patients with dyspeptic symptoms are treated empirically. Drug-induced dyspepsia might therefore be reflected in the sequencing of prokinetics relative to other medications.

AIM

To screen a large prescription database for signs of drug-induced functional dyspepsia, applying a symmetry principle.

METHODS

Prescription data on all incident users of cisapride and metoclopramide were used to identify individuals who had started their first therapies with a prokinetic drug and an index drug within a 100-day span. A dyspepsia-provoking effect of the index drug would manifest as an excess of persons with the prokinetic drug prescribed last in this selected population. Relative to conventional analyses based on case-control or cohort design, this principle is robust to confounders that are stable over time.

RESULTS

In the cisapride analysis (1825 persons) no single drug had adjusted rate ratios significantly above unity. An inverse signal for antidepressants (rate ratio 0.57; 95% CI: 0.39-0.84) suggests that these drugs may have a therapeutic effect against functional dyspepsia. In the metoclopramide analysis (6126 persons) positive signals were found for 14 drugs, all well-known for causing nausea as a side-effect, with the exception of insulin (rate ratio 2.91, 95% CI: 1.40-8.11).

CONCLUSIONS

Drug-induced symptoms of functional dyspepsia are rare and do not contribute to the use of cisapride. The start of insulin treatment may induce nausea.

Survey of prescriptions for peptic ulcer drugs (ACT class AOB2) in Iceland

BACKGROUND

The consumption of peptic ulcer drugs in Iceland is 20 DDD/1000/day, which is two to three times higher than in other Scandinavian countries. This study was done to register the pattern of use and possibly to find reasons for the high consumption.

METHODS

Prescriptions for peptic ulcer drugs (ACT class AO2B) were surveyed in Iceland during 1 month in 1991. All pharmacies in Iceland participated in the study, and information was obtained on about 90% of peptic ulcer drugs used outside hospitals. The pharmacists registered all prescriptions of peptic ulcer drugs with regard to the age and sex of the patient, speciality of the prescribing physician, and name, dose, and quantity of the drug.

RESULTS

A total of 2021 prescriptions were registered, accounting for 15.4 DDD/1000/day. The prevalence of peptic ulcer drug use was 1.52%, but female use was 52.5%. The maximal use, 2.91% was in the age group 70-79 years. H2 blockers accounted for 79%, omeprazole for 17%, and other drugs for 4%. General practitioners prescribed 65% of the drugs, gastroenterologists 15%, and other specialists 14%. If the patient himself collected the drug, he was asked to fill out a questionnaire with regard to the reason for the prescription, previous prescriptions, and investigations. A total of 1131 (56%) of patient questionnaires were received. Only 1% of the patients did not know the reason for the prescription. The patients registered that 30% of the prescriptions were for peptic ulcer, 29% for heartburn, 21% for gastritis, 9% for dyspepsia, and 7% for prevention of side effects of other drugs. It was estimated from the data that about 40% of the prescriptions were for non-ulcer dyspepsia. Investigations were done in 67% of the patients, but 33% received the prescription only after an appointment with a physician.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the survey suggest that the extensive use of peptic ulcer drugs in Iceland is mostly due to excessive use in non-ulcer dyspepsia.

Efficacy of sucralfate in treatment of non-ulcer dyspepsia. A double-blind placebo-controlled study

The object of this study was to assess the efficacy of sucralfate in the treatment of non-ulcer dyspepsia (NUD). The diagnosis of NUD was made by exclusion. All patients underwent an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and abdominal ultrasound, and blood tests were done as clinically indicated. Patients with a history of peptic ulcer disease were not included. Symptomatic assessment was made at the beginning and at the end of the study. The patients registered their most prominent dyspeptic symptoms and whether they improved, were unchanged, or worsened. The study was double-blind. Placebo or 1 g sucralfate four times daily was given for 3 weeks. Over a 2-year period 104 patients were included in the study; 56 received sucralfate and 48 placebo. Nine patients were excluded because of poor compliance or side effects, six from the sucralfate group and three from the placebo group. The sucralfate and placebo groups were comparable with regard to symptom and clinical variables. Global assessment of symptoms showed that in the sucralfate group 34 improved (68%), 11 were unchanged, and 5 were worse. In the placebo group 31 improved (69%), 11 were unchanged, and 3 were worse. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups. The 3-week course of sucralfate in patients with NUD did not show symptomatic improvement over placebo.

Secretory abnormalities in functional dyspepsia

During the past 30 years much interest has been focused on gastric acid as a possible causative factor in functional dyspepsia. The similarities to duodenal ulcer with regard to the symptoms, previous reports of a high risk of subsequent ulcer development, and a growing number of clinical therapeutic trials showing a significant advantage for acid-reducing drugs over placebo--although challenged by many investigators--have all contributed to a common notion that the gastric acid may play an equally important pathogenic role in functional dyspepsia as in peptic ulcer disease. However, recent studies in patients with well-defined functional dyspepsia indicate quite clearly that hypersecretion of hydrochloric acid is a rare finding. Available data also contradict the hypothesis that patients with functional dyspepsia are abnormally sensitive to their gastric acid. Those dyspeptic individuals who benefit from antacids purchased over the counter usually do not have functional dyspepsia but rather organic diseases such as esophagitis or peptic ulcer. The association or pathophysiologic parallelism between functional dyspepsia and peptic ulcer implied by the results of some studies of functional dyspepsia in the past might be explained by unintended inclusion of overlooked or subclinical cases of peptic ulcer disease in those studies.

Therapeutic trial in dyspepsia: its role in the primary care setting

Owing to the vast proportions of the dyspeptic patient population, it is not practicable to initiate diagnostic investigations immediately in every single patient who presents with dyspepsia. The risks associated with postponing definite diagnosis 4-8 weeks in dyspeptic patients aged less than 45 years are exceedingly small. Therefore, empiric therapeutic trial without a firm diagnosis is an acceptable alternative in those age groups. Those who recover during the course of the trial are spared the costs and inconvenience of invasive tests. Possible adverse consequences for the patients are minimized if the therapy covers those organic diseases that may cause complications (such as peptic ulcer and esophagitis). The concept of diagnosis-free therapeutic trials presupposes, however, that a sufficiently large number of patients are cured and that their need of investigation is permanently eliminated. If not, inevitable investigations are only postponed. In those patients the costs will thereby not only be the same as if early investigation had been carried out, but the total costs may in fact increase in a longer perspective owing to suboptimal management in the period before a firm diagnosis has been established. Thus, the ideal strategy would be to treat those who have a high probability of recovering during the ensuing 6-8 weeks and to investigate those in whom a prolonged course is anticipated. An empiric therapeutic trial must be followed by a thorough evaluation within 8 weeks.

Comparison of sucralfate and ranitidine in the treatment of chronic nonerosive gastritis. A randomized, multicenter trial

In a randomized trial involving 20 Italian centers, the effectiveness of 1 g sucralfate three times a day and 150 mg ranitidine twice a day in the treatment of chronic gastritis was assessed and compared. Five hundred outpatients with dyspeptic symptoms and endoscopic evidence of chronic nonerosive gastritis were randomly assigned to either treatment for a period of eight weeks. Endoscopic scores were determined at the beginning and at the end of the study. The severity of dyspeptic symptoms was assessed at Weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8. Four hundred seventy-three patients completed the study. In 331 cases, biopsies were taken during endoscopy, and a histologic evaluation was also performed, according to Whitehead's criteria. Sucralfate was significantly more effective than ranitidine in inducing healing or improvement of both endoscopic (p less than 0.02) and histologic (p less than 0.001) features. At the end of the study, 77.6 percent of the patients in the sucralfate group and 79.4 percent in the ranitidine group were symptom free. Ranitidine was significantly more efficacious at releiving pain during the first four weeks of therapy. Mild side effects were reported by 4.9 percent of patients treated with sucralfate and by 3.6 percent of patients treated with ranitidine. Treatment was withdrawn in one patient treated with sucralfate because of nausea. In conclusion, sucralfate appears significantly superior to ranitidine in improving endoscopic and histologic aspects of chronic nonerosive gastritis. The symptomatic activity of the two drugs is similar, although more rapid relief is obtained with ranitidine.

A prospective study of social factors and major life event stress in patients with dyspepsia of unknown cause

There is a subgroup of patients with endoscopically confirmed non-ulcer dyspepsia who have no known cause for their symptoms, provisionally termed essential dyspepsia. The aim of this study was to determine prospectively the social consequences of essential dyspepsia. Patients with essential dyspepsia (n = 111) were followed up by telephone bimonthly, after an introductory personal interview, for a mean of 17 months. Data were gathered on symptoms, daily activities, family life, going out, work status, days lost from work, physician consultations, marital status, and major life events monthly. Stepwise regression analysis was undertaken, with days of upper abdominal pain each month as the response variable, to determine whether these social factors were associated with days of pain. None of the variables studied were of biological importance (r2 = 0.08), although increasing age, male sex, being unmarried and visiting a physician because of dyspepsia were statistically associated with increased days of abdominal pain (all, p less than 0.01). Major life event stress and social activities were not associated with the course of essential dyspepsia, and patients did not display excessive illness behaviour. The impact of essential dyspepsia on the lifestyle of its sufferers appears minor.