Short-term treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of acid suppressant drugs in the empirical treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and in the treatment of endoscopy-negative reflux disease (ENRD).

Design: medline, embase, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched. Bibliographies were reviewed.

Irritable bowel syndrome in primary care: the patients' and doctors' views on symptoms, etiology and management.

Background: To facilitate the development of clinical guidelines and to direct future irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) research, insight into the perceptions of patients and general practitioners (GPs) regarding IBS is required.

Objectives: To compare patients' and GPs' views on the symptomatology, etiology and treatment of IBS.

Methods: One hundred forty-two IBS patients and 100 GPs were requested to complete a structured questionnaire.

Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: incidence and risk indicators using a general practice research database.

Background: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a frequent complication of herpes zoster (HZ). Treatment results of this severe and long-lasting pain syndrome are often disappointing. From the point of view of possible prevention and early treatment, it is important to identify HZ patients who have an increased risk of developing PHN.

One-year prognosis of primary care dyspepsia: predictive value of symptom pattern, Helicobacter pylori and GP management.

Background And Aims: Dyspepsia is a highly prevalent, heterogeneous condition with a poorly defined clinical course in family practice. We observed its clinical outcome and identified prognostic factors.

Patients: We studied 583 patients presenting to their general practitioner (GP) with a new episode of dyspeptic complaints.