HSR&D » For_researchers » Measurement » Instrument » Overviews

  

Enter your search text Search HSR&D: Button to start search

Instrument Summary for GERD/Dyspepsia

Please note that this section is an archive and is no longer being updated.

Gerd-Specific Instruments

Development: Carlsson, Dent, and colleagues developed an unnamed brief GERD symptom assessment questionnaire in 1998. The questionnaire consists of 7 items assessing the nature and timing of GERD-related symptoms, the effects of food and physical activity on symptoms, and the efficacy of indigestion medications for symptom relief. Items were developed by a panel of physicians and surgeons with expertise in the management of GERD, and a larger group of general practitioners reviewed the instrument's language and scoring.

Purpose: The Carlsson-Dent questionnaire is used to identify heartburn and other symptoms of GERD to aid in the diagnosis of GERD.

Useful Facts: The Carlsson-Dent questionnaire is self-administered. The content of the instrument informed the development of a more recently introduced diagnostic instrument for GERD, the Reflux Disease Diagnostic Questionnaire. The instrument has been described as "Carlsson's questionnaire" and other terms in the literature.

VA Relevance: Literature describing the use of this instrument in the veteran population was not found.

Availability: The Carlsson-Dent questionnaire is published in the 1998 developmental article.

References:

1. Carlsson R, Dent J, Bolling-Sternevald E, et al. The usefulness of a structured questionnaire in the assessment of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease. Scan J Gastroenterol 1998;33:1023-1029. [Abstract ]
2. Shaw MJ, Talley NJ, Beebe TJ, et al. Initial validation of a diagnostic questionnaire for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Am J Gastroenterol 2001;96:52-57. [Abstract ]
3. Numans ME, De Wit NJ. Reflux symptoms in general practice: diagnostic evaluation of the Carlsson-Dent gastro-oesophageal reflux disease questionnaire. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2003;17:1049-1055. [Abstract ]

Development: The Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire (GERQ) was developed by Locke and colleagues in 1994. Items were modeled on relevant content domains of the Bowel Disease Questionnaire (see above) and pilot tested in a sample of outpatients from a gastroenterology practice and a community sample. The GERQ contains 80 items assessing health and functioning in the following domains: heartburn, acid regurgitation, effect of heartburn/acid regurgitation on functioning and health care utilization, chest pain, dysphagia, upper gastrointestinal complaints, respiratory symptoms, medications and medical history, and miscellaneous factors (e.g., alcohol use).

Purpose: The GERQ is used to measure symptoms of GERD for the purposes of diagnostic assessment. However, the authors noted that the GERQ was not been tested to determine whether it is able to distinguish functional from structural diseases.

Useful Facts: The GERQ is a self-administered questionnaire and takes 15 to 30 minutes to complete. Items on the GERQ are understandable at a fourth-grade reading level. The GERQ has undergone translation for use in Spanish-speaking populations.

VA Relevance: Literature describing the use of the GERQ in the veteran population was not found.

Availability: The GERQ is available from the authors upon request. Dr. G. R. Locke may be contacted at the following address:
Division of Gastroenterology
Mayo Clinic Rochester
200 First Street SW
Rochester, MN 55905.

References:

1. Locke GR, Talley NJ, Weaver AL, Zinsmeister AR. A new questionnaire for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Mayo Clin Proc 1994;69:539-547. [Abstract ]
2. Moreno E-O C, Rey E, Rodriguez-Artalejo F, Locke GR, Diaz-Rubio M. Adaptation and validation of a gastroesophageal reflux questionnaire for use on a Spanish population. Rev Esp Enferm Dig 2002;94:745-758. [Abstract ]
3. Stanghellini V, Armstrong D, Mönnikes H, Bardhan KD. Systematic review: do we need a new gastro-oesophageal reflux disease questionnaire? Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2004;19:463-479. [Abstract ]

Development: The Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Health-Related Quality of Life (GERD-HRQL) instrument was published by Velanovich and colleagues in 1996. The GERD-HRQL consists of 10 items that are each rated on a 6-point scale. Items were written to reflect concepts that, in the opinion of the developers, represented "the most common and distressing complaints" among persons with GERD.

Purpose: The GERD-HRQL measures health-related quality of life associated with GERD symptoms and their management. It was designed for clinical use as a measure of treatment-related change.

Useful Facts: The GERD-HQRL is a self-administered questionnaire. Estimated completion time is about one minute for most persons. The first nine items are rated on a scale from 0 to 5 and summed to give a total score ranging from 0 to 45; the tenth item is not included in the numerical score. Higher scores indicate greater symptom severity.

VA Relevance: Literature describing the use of the GERD-HRQL in the veteran population was not found.

Availability: The GERD-HRQL items and scoring are described in the appendix to the 1996 developmental article;¹ a revised version is described in later papers.^2-3

References:

1. 1. Velanovich V, Vallance SR, Gusz JR, Tapia FV, Harkbus MA. Quality of life scale for gastroesophageal reflux diease. J Am Coll Surg 1996;183:217-224. [Abstract ]
2. 2. Velanovich V, Karmy-Jones R. Measuring gastroesophageal reflux disease: relationship between the Health-Related Quality of Life score and physiologic parameters. Am Surg 1998;64:649-653. [Abstract ]
3. 3. Velanovich V. Comparison of symptomatic and quality of life outcomes of laparoscopic versus open antireflux surgery. Surgery 1999;126:782-788. [Abstract ]