EsReflux Protocol: Epidemiological Study of Heartburn and Reflux-like Symptoms in Spanish Community Pharmacies

Elsa López-Pintor; María Puig-Moltó; Blanca Lumbreras

doi:10.3390/ijerph19169807

EsReflux Protocol: Epidemiological Study of Heartburn and Reflux-like Symptoms in Spanish Community Pharmacies

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Aug 9;19(16):9807. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19169807.

Authors

Elsa López-Pintor^{1

2}, María Puig-Moltó¹, Blanca Lumbreras^{2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Engineering, Area of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain.
² CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBERESP, 28029 Madrid, Spain.
³ Department of Public Health, History of Science and Gynecology, Miguel Hernandez University, 03550 San Juan de Alicante, Spain.

Abstract

(1) Background: Heartburn and reflux discomfort are frequent reasons for consultation at the community pharmacy. To facilitate the assistance work of the community pharmacist and its coordination between different levels of care, a group of experts in Community Pharmacy, Primary Care, and Gastroenterology have recently worked on an algorithm to manage these symptoms in the community pharmacy (Professional Pharmaceutical Service). The objective of this study is to analyze the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of patients with heartburn and/or reflux-like symptoms who go to a community pharmacy, and to evaluate the clinical and humanistic results after the implementation of a Professional Pharmaceutical Service. (2) Methods: A pre-post study will be carried out to evaluate clinical and humanistic results after the implementation of a Professional Pharmaceutical Service. We will include 1200 patients who ask for advice or get a non-prescription medication due to acid and/or reflux symptoms in 240 Spanish pharmacies. Clinical data will be collected at baseline and 15 days after the pharmaceutical intervention. The GERD Impact Scale (GIS) questionnaire will be applied to assess changes in heartburn/reflux-like symptoms and quality of life after the intervention.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05162079.

Keywords: community pharmacy; dyspepsia; heartburn; intervention; reflux; reflux-like symptoms.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Epidemiologic Studies
Esophagitis, Peptic*
Gastroesophageal Reflux* / drug therapy
Gastroesophageal Reflux* / epidemiology
Heartburn / drug therapy
Heartburn / epidemiology
Humans
Pharmacies*
Quality of Life

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT05162079

Grants and funding

This research was promoted by RB and supported by the Spanish Society of Family and Community Pharmacy (SEFAC), (Grant number: SEFAC 1.19). The funders had no involvement in any aspect of the design of this study, management, analysis, and interpretation of data; writing of the report or decision to submit it for publication. Name and contact information for the trial sponsors: Patricia Saiz: patricia.saiz@medea.es and Alicia Martinez: amartinez@sefac.org.