Evaluating the Reflux Disease Questionnaire for GERD Treatment
Author Information
Author(s): Michael Shaw, John Dent, Timothy Beebe, Ola Junghard, Ingela Wiklund, Tore Lind, Folke Johnsson
Primary Institution: Park Nicollet Clinic and University of Minnesota Medical School
Hypothesis
The Reflux Disease Questionnaire (RDQ) is a reliable and valid tool for assessing treatment response in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
Conclusion
The RDQ is a viable instrument for assessing treatment response and symptom severity in GERD patients.
Supporting Evidence
- The RDQ showed excellent responsiveness to treatment changes.
- Effect sizes for RDQ indicators ranged from 1.05 to 2.05.
- The internal consistency reliability of the RDQ was high across translations.
Takeaway
The RDQ helps doctors understand how well treatment is working for patients with heartburn and related symptoms.
Methodology
The RDQ was evaluated in a randomized, double-blind trial involving 439 patients with presumed GERD.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the subjective nature of self-reported symptom assessments.
Limitations
The study population was highly enriched for GERD, limiting the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
Patients were primarily from Sweden and Norway, with a mean age of 51.4 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Confidence Interval
1.98, 2.26
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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