EFFECT OF CISAPRIDE THERAPY FOR SEVERE DYSPEPSIA ON GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS AND QUALITY-OF-LIFE

Quality of life measures have received little attention in evaluation of therapy for dyspepsia. To examine the effect of cisapride on gastro intestinal symptoms and quality of life measures, we studied eight pat ients with chronic, severe dyspepsia, before and after therapy with ci sapride (20 mg three times daily) for 12 months. Gastrointestinal (GI) Total Symptom Score (TSS), Overall Patient Assessment (OPA), and qual ity of life by both trait (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)) and physical function (Sickness Impact Profile (SIP)) were me asured at base line and at month 12 of cisapride therapy. Results show ed significant improvement in TSS, OPA, and the MMPI Depression and An xiety scales (all, p < 0.05). Improvement in the SIP physical dimensio n score approached significance (p = 0.065). We conclude that, in this group of patients with severe dyspepsia, both GI symptoms and quality of life measures improved with 12 months of cisapride therapy. These quality of life measures may prove useful in evaluating the efficacy o f drug treatment for dyspepsia.