Clinical assessment and health-related quality of life in patients with non-cardiac chest pain

Introduction Non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) is mainly related to oesophageal disease, and in spite of being a common condition in Mexico, information regarding it is scarce. Aim To assess the clinical characteristics and health-related quality of life of patients with NCCP of presumed oesophageal origin. Material and methods Patients with NCCP of presumed oesophageal origin with no previous treatment were included in the study. Associated symptoms were assessed and upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and 24-hour oesophageal pH monitoring were performed to diagnose gastroesophageal reflux disease, while oesophageal manometry was used to determine oesophageal motility disorders. The SF-36 Health-Related Quality of Life (HR-QoL) questionnaire was completed and its results compared to a control group without oesophageal symptoms. Results The study included 33 patients, of which 61% were women, and the mean age was 46.1 (± 11.6) years. Causes of NCCP were gastroesophageal reflux disease in 48%, achalasia in 34%, and functional chest pain in 18%. The average progression time for chest pain was 24 (2-240) months, with ≤3 events/week in 52% of the patients. The most frequent accompanying symptoms were: regurgitation (81%), dysphagia (72%) and heartburn (66%). Patients with NCCP show deterioration in HR-QoL compared to the control group ( P = .01), regardless of chest pain aetiology. The most affected areas were general perception of health, emotional issues, and mental health sub-scale ( P > 0 .05). Conclusions In our population, patients with NCCP show deterioration in HR-QoL regardless of the aetiology, frequency, and accompanying symptoms.