Assessment of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms in Italian physicians—A survey by Reflux Disease Questionnaire

• Published in: Digestive and liver disease Vol. 40; no. 4; pp. 235 - 239
• Main Authors: Pace, F, Molteni, P, Casini, V, Pallotta, S, Bianchi Porro, G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2008
• Subjects: Adult; Body Mass Index; Female; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Gastroesophageal Reflux - diagnosis; Gastroesophageal Reflux - epidemiology; GERD; Humans; Italy - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Physician health; Physicians - statistics & numerical data; Prevalence; Quality of life; RDQ; Risk Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Italy; GERD; Physician health; RDQ; Quality of life
• ISSN: 1590-8658; 1878-3562
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2007.11.027

Abstract Background The prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms in physicians, as compared to that of the general population, is not known. Methods We submitted a validated Italian version of a simple questionnaire (Reflux Disease Questionnaire) to 490 physicians and 430 controls to assess: (i) the presence, frequency and severity of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms in the two populations; (ii) how the self-assessment of troublesome gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms by physicians correlate with a pathological Reflux Disease Questionnaire, judged on the basis of a total Reflux Disease Questionnaire score ≥8. Results A valid and complete questionnaire was obtained in 456/490 (93.1%) physicians and 367/430 (85.3%) controls. Between the two groups there were no differences in terms of total Reflux Disease Questionnaire score or individual items, with the only exception of “severity of burning feeling behind breastbone” which was significantly higher in the physician group. An excellent correlation was found between the self-assessment by physician and the total Reflux Disease Questionnaire score. Conclusions The prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease symptoms among Italian doctors is not different from that reported by a matched control group, and that their ability in self-assessing a troublesome gastro-oesophageal reflux disease is optimal.