[Use of health resources and loss of productivity in gastroesophageal reflux disease: results of a cross-sectional study in a primary care setting in Spain].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate healthcare resource use and productivity in patients with gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the influence of disease severity on these two factors.
DESIGN: Sub-analysis of the Spanish population of a multinational study with a 4-month retrospective period for the identification and selection of patients, and a clinical visit to obtain clinical information and data on use of healthcare resources, carried out between October 2007 and January 2008. POPULATION: A total of 477 patients attending a Primary Care centre, with a medical consultation for GERD. MAIN VARIABLES: Use of healthcare resources, changes in productivity based on the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire for GERD patients (WPAI-GERD).
RESULTS: Despite having received pharmacological treatment at the baseline visit, after a median of 5.1 months follow-up (range 2.1-8.1), up to 15.9% (95% CI; 12.8-19.5) patients still showed clinically relevant GERD symptoms. Direct medical costs per year associated with diagnostic tests and medical consultations in patients with or without clinically relevant GERD symptoms were 666 € (SD: 2,097 €) and 370 € (SD: 2,060 €), respectively. The mean annual cost of reduced productivity (17%) was 5,316 € (SD: 8,615 €). This cost was 4 times higher for patients with clinically relevant GERD symptoms than for patients with no relevant symptoms (15,188 € [SD: 11,206 €] vs 3,926 € [SD: 7,232 €]).
CONCLUSION: Patients with GERD use significant healthcare resources, attributable to associated medical costs and marked reduction in productivity, even though they receive pharmacological treatment.