Pediatric gastroesophageal reflux disease and acid-related conditions: trends in incidence of diagnosis and acid suppression therapy

Abstract

Objective: To describe the incidence of diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease and acid-related conditions (GERD/ARC) throughout childhood and characterize patterns of diagnosis and treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H₂RAs).

Methods: Cohorts of GERD/ARC children (age 0–18 years) were identified from a large US administrative claims database covering 1999–2005 using ICD-9 codes. Incidence, healthcare utilization (HCU), costs, therapy discontinuation and switching rates were compared between various age and patient groups.

Results: Between 2000 and 2005 annual incidence of GERD/ARC diagnosis among infants (age ≤1 year) more than tripled (from 3.4 to 12.3%) and increased by 30% to 50% in other age groups. Patients diagnosed by GI specialists (9.2%) were more likely to be treated with PPIs compared to patients diagnosed by primary care physician (PCP). PPI-initiated patients doubled (from 31.5% in 1999 to 62.6% in 2005) and, when compared with H₂RA-initiated patients, were associated with 30% less discontinuation and 90% less therapy switching in the first month, and with higher comorbidity burden and pre-treatment total HCU and costs when diagnosed by GI specialists.

Limitations: The use of an exploratory definition for GERD/ARC, administrative claims data and potential coding errors in diagnosis codes used in selection process may limit the generalizability of the results.

Conclusions: GERD/ARC incidence increased for children of all ages between 2000 and 2005. PCPs made the majority of diagnoses. PPI initiations have now surpassed H₂RA initiations.