MedWire News: Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients who have their condition under good control with medications can still benefit from antireflux surgery in terms of quality of life, say UK researchers.

"Both medical therapy and laparoscopic antireflux surgery have been shown to improve quality of life in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients," explain Dr Richard Gillies and colleagues from the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading.

But they add: "No study has specifically investigated patients whose symptoms are well controlled with medical therapy but who decide to undergo surgery to eliminate the need for long-term medication."

To address this, the researchers studied 60 patients with well-controlled gastro-oesophageal reflux disease who decided to undergo antireflux surgery at their hospital between 1998 and 2003.

All the participants completed questionnaires on their quality of life and reflux symptoms before and 6 months after undergoing surgery.

Analysis revealed that, overall, the patients reported significant improvements in their quality of life and significant reductions in the severity of their reflux symptoms after undergoing antireflux surgery, compared with beforehand.

Dr Gillies and team summarise in the European Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology: "Antireflux surgery significantly improved quality of life in reflux patients whose symptoms were well controlled on medical therapy."

They conclude: "Although some patients whose symptoms are well controlled with medical therapy may be content with long-term use of medication, other patients would rather elect to undergo laparoscopic antireflux surgery, and such patients should not be denied surgery simply because their symptoms are well controlled with medical therapy."