Demeester et al developed a symptom score to evaluate a patient with gastroesophageal reflux. The authors are from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu.
Parameters:
(1) heartburn (from flow of gastric contents into esophagus)
(2) regurgitation (with flow of gastric contents into the mouth)
(3) dysphagia
|
Parameter |
Finding |
Points |
|
heartburn |
none |
0 |
|
|
occasional episodes |
1 |
|
|
reason for medical visit |
2 |
|
|
interferes with daily activities |
3 |
|
regurgitation |
none |
0 |
|
|
occasional episodes |
1 |
|
|
predictable based on position and/or straining |
2 |
|
|
episodes of aspiration into the lungs |
3 |
|
dysphagia |
none |
0 |
|
|
occasional episodes |
1 |
|
|
require liquids to clear symptoms |
2 |
|
|
episode of meat/food impacting requiring medical treatment |
3 |
where:
• A possible modification would be to add a level for rare or infrequent symptoms. The current scheme would include minimal disease in with mild to moderate disease.
total symptom score =
= SUM(points for all 3 parameters)
Interpretation:
• minimum score: 0
• maximum score: 12
• The higher the score the more severe the symptoms of reflux.
Specialty: Gastroenterology
