MEASUREMENT OF THE IMPACT OF HEARTBURN AND DYSPEPSIA ON QUALITY-OF-LIFE

The interest in heartburn in endoscopy-negative patients and in functi onal dyspepsia has increased in recent years. This necessitates new me thods of disease evaluation due to the lack of objective markers. In t his paper basic data are presented from the application of two widely used quality of life questionnaires - the Psychological General Well-B eing Index and the Gastrointestinal Symptoms Rating Scale - in patient s with upper gastrointestinal symptoms without treatment and in health y controls. From the reference population. it can be concluded that ge nder, as well as age, influences the outcome of both indices. In patie nts with untreated reflux oesophagitis, peptic ulcer or dyspepsia qual ity of life was low. The severity of symptoms also correlated well wit h both the Psychological General Well-Being Index and the Gastrointest inal Symptom Rating Scale scores in patients with heartburn. In patien ts with upper gastrointestinal complaints, an evaluation of quality of life it helpful in patient evaluation, particularly in the absence of objective clinical markers of disease.