Clinically Meaningful Difference for the Infant Gastroesophageal Questionnaire Revised Version (I-GERQ-R): A Quantitative Synthesis

Overview

Journal Patient Relat Outcome Meas

Specialty Health Services

Date 2020 Mar 20

PMID 32189972

Citations 2

Authors

Adam B Smith

Neil Fawkes

Helen Kotze

Victoria Hodgkinson

Cathal Coyle

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD) is a common condition affecting 30% of infants aged 0-23 months. The Infant Gastroesophageal Questionnaire Revised version (I-GERQ-R) is an observer-reported outcome measures (ObsRO) developed to evaluate the impact of GORD on young infants. However, evidence regarding the clinically important difference (CID) for the I-GERQ-R is limited. The aim of this study was to determine a CID for the I-GERQ-R.

Methods: A literature review was undertaken (PsycInfo, Embase, MedLine and EconLit databases) for longitudinal studies involving the I-GERQ-R. Articles were not limited by language or publication date. A random effects model was applied to calculate an overall CID, along with I and Q statistics. Publication bias was also assessed.

Results: The search identified 42 articles; 11 were selected for full-text review and 7 articles were identified for full data extraction. The studies included a total of 661 infants (range: 30 to 313); 424 infants had been diagnosed with GORD (64%). The age range of the infants across the studies was from birth to 7 months. The overall CID was -6.54 (95% confidence interval: -4.35 to -8.74), Q = 17.96, p=0.08 and I=22.04.

Conclusion: This study derived a CID for the I-GERQ-R and indicated a threshold around 6 could signify a clinically important difference for this instrument. The lower limit of the 95% confidence interval suggested a threshold of 3 to 4 could represent a minimally important difference. These results may help inform clinical decisions in evaluating meaningful change in symptom severity in children affected by GORD.

Citing Articles

A comparison between a gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire-based algorithm and multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH monitoring for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux-induced chronic cough.

Li W, Zhang T, Gu W, Shi W, Wang S, Zhu Y Ther Adv Respir Dis. 2024; 18:17534666231220817.

PMID: 38183243 PMC: 10771753. DOI: 10.1177/17534666231220817.

Symptom Scores and pH-Impedance: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial in Infants Treated for Gastroesophageal Reflux.

Sultana Z, Hasenstab K, Moore R, Osborn E, Yildiz V, Wei L Gastro Hep Adv. 2022; 1(5):869-881.

PMID: 36310566 PMC: 9615096. DOI: 10.1016/j.gastha.2022.06.004.

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