Premium
Health‐related quality of life in patients with cardiovascular disease – the effect of upper gastrointestinal symptom treatment
Author(s) -
Rossum L. G. M.,
Laheij R. J. F.,
Vlemmix F.,
Jansen J. B. M. J.,
Verheugt F. W. A.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
alimentary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.308
H-Index - 177
eISSN - 1365-2036
pISSN - 0269-2813
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.01937.x
Subject(s) - medicine , quality of life (healthcare) , placebo , randomization , disease , rabeprazole , gastroenterology , randomized controlled trial , clinical trial , proton pump inhibitor , alternative medicine , pathology , nursing
Summary Background : Upper gastrointestinal discomfort decreases the already impaired health status of patients with cardiovascular disease. Aim : To evaluate whether acid suppressive therapy improves health‐related quality of life in patients who developed upper gastrointestinal symptoms after starting low‐dose acetylsalicylic acid. Methods : In a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled randomized trail, cardiac patients using low‐dose (80 mg) acetylsalicylic acid with ( n = 142) and without ( n = 90) upper gastrointestinal symptoms were included. Patients with symptoms were treated with rabeprazole or placebo for 4 weeks. At baseline and 4 weeks information about gastrointestinal symptoms and health‐related quality of life was assessed. Results : The 73 patients assigned to rabeprazole when compared with 69 patients given placebo reported the same quality of life scores 4 weeks after randomization. The differences in quality of life scores between patients with and without symptoms at baseline remained after 4 weeks. Patients in whom treatment led to complete symptom relief or those who remained symptom‐free reported significantly higher scores for Physical Component Summary ( P < 0.01) and Mental Component Summary ( P < 0.01), when compared to those with persistent symptoms or new onset symptoms. Conclusion : Proton‐pump inhibitor therapy did not improve quality of life. Upper gastrointestinal symptom relief in itself considerably increased quality of life.