Source: J Am Coll Cardiol  |  Posted 6 years ago

By Danny Kucharsky

MONTREAL, CANADA -- September 13, 2005 -- Individuals with gastroparesis appear to have significantly less income due to disability and missed work compared with healthy individuals, according to the first study to evaluate the economic consequences of this condition.

Gastroparesis is a chronic disorder of delayed gastric emptying, with typical symptoms that include early satiety, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, and abdominal gain.

According to the researchers who presented the study's findings here on September 12[^]th[] at the World Congress of Gastroenterology (WCOG), a higher than expected percentage of individuals reported that their work activities are affected by gastroparesis, and a much higher percentage is affected by gastroesophageal reflux disease.

David Bauer, a medical student at Dartmouth Medical School, Hanover, New Hampshire, United States, presented the study on behalf of lead investigator Brian Lacy, MD, PhD, assistant professor of gastroenterology, department of medicine, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire, United States.

The researchers followed 228 patients with gastroparesis over a 3-year period, from January 2002 to January 2005. Gastroparesis was documented by the presence of symptoms for more than 6 months. Patients had a mean age of 49.6, 77.2% were female, 88.2% were Caucasian, and 73.3% had entered or completed college.

Patients responded to a questionnaire that collected demographic information, employment status, work and daily activities, and use of medication and health care resources.

Results show that 11% of respondents said they were disabled by the gastroparesis and 5.7% reported they were not working specifically due to gastroparesis.

In addition, 67.5% of respondents reported that gastroparesis led to a reduction in their daily activities; 21.9% said gastroparesis caused them to change their work or school schedules; and 28.5% noted that gastroparesis resulted in a reduction in their annual incomes.

"Nobody has looked at what the economic burden of gastroparesis is. Eight million people are affected with gastroparesis in the US, yet there is very little data as to how much this costs us," Bauer said.

The investigators concluded that treatment regimens for patients with gastroparesis should include strategies to restore productivity and enhance wellbeing.

[Presentation title: Gastroparesis Places a Substantial Burden on Work and Daily Activities. Abstract R.0164]