A SYSTEMATIC OVERVIEW (METAANALYSIS) OF OUTCOME MEASURES IN HELICOBACTER-PYLORI GASTRITIS TRIALS AND FUNCTIONAL DYSPEPSIA

Study aim: To critically appraise the use of outcome measures in treatment trials of Helicobacter pylori positive non-ulcer dyspepsia patients. Methods: Meta-analysis of published randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials. Results: Significant methodological problems were detected in all seven retrieved studies. There is marked variation in measurement of: symptoms, scales used to assess severity of dyspepsia, use of global assessments and methods used to determine whether a change occurred in symptom severity. Conclusion: Much more attention needs to be paid to outcome measures in nonulcer dyspepsia trials and consensus on this should be reached by investigators in this area.