Impact of endoscopy-based research on quality of life in healthy volunteers

Figure 1 Flow chart of the study. The multiple drug study with cross-over design was divided into 5 phases with test drug alone and in combination with low-dose aspirin during the second week. On days 0, 7 and 14 of each study, ten HV were asked to complete the questionnaires. Upper GI-endoscopy was performed on the same days with a 4-wk wash out period between the different phases.

Figure 2 Changes in different multiple dimensions and physical, mental and totals scores between baseline and end of study determined by SF-36. During the 6-mo study with cross-over design, 10 HV underwent a total of 150 endoscopic examinations and 4500 biopsies from the antrum, corpus and duodenal bulb. The results are expressed in mean ± SD. Dotted line shows the theoretical max score from 100. Significant changes were observed (^a) for general (84.4 ± 13.1 vs 79.4 ± 15.4, P = 0.023 paired t-test) and mental health (80.0 ± 6.8 vs 83.2 ± 7.5, P = 0.022 paired t-test). In the remaining dimensions, physical, mental and total scores P > 0.05.

Figure 3 Changes between different symptoms and summary scores due to the endoscopy-based study determined by visual analog scale (VAS) based questionnaires. Upper endoscopies were performed on days 0, 7 and 14 of each phase. During every medication phase, HV underwent 3 upper endoscopies with multiple biopsies from the antrum, corpus and duodenal bulb. Maximal complaint score for any symptom or summary scores are 10 and 70, respectively. The results are expressed as mean ± SE and analyzed using Friedman's test (P > 0.05 for physical, mental and total-scores).

Figure 4 Changes in compliance scores due to endoscopic procedures between different time points determined by visual analog scale (VAS) based questionnaire. Upper endoscopies were performed on days 0, 7 and 14 of each phase and 30 biopsies were taken during each procedure. Maximal complaint score is 10. The results are presented as scatter plots with means as the lines and were analyzed by ANOVA test (P > 0.05).

Figure 5 Different symptoms and summary scores due to the endoscopy-based study compared in HV and the control group determined by visual analog scale (VAS) based questionnaires. Every HV completed 5 medication phases with 15 endoscopic examinations. Control population (data previously published in[9], adopted with permission) underwent only one upper GI endoscopy without endoscopic or histological pathology. Maximal complaint score for any symptom or summary scores are 10 and 70, respectively. The absolute symptom value was below the cut-off for presence of the symptom.