E' un vero e proprio esercito quello degli italiani con malattia da reflusso gastroesofageo (Mrge). I connazionali con bruciore alla bocca dello stomaco, rigurgito ed esofagite sono 11 milioni, "dunque la malattia ha una prevalenza di ben il 18% nel nostro Paese", rileva Marcello Tonini, docente di scienze forensi e farmacotossicologiche all'università di pavia . L'occasione è la presentazione, oggi a Roma, di uno studio internazionale che ha indagato i costi della malattia in sei Paesi: Italia, Francia, germania , Gran bretagna , Spagna e Svezia. E che ha visto lavorare insieme medici ed economisti. Lo studio ha analizzato l'impatto of GERD on quality of life of sufferers, but also the economic aspects of the disease. Both direct and indirect costs related to lost workdays or low productivity, due to the disease. GERD, in fact, 'burning' on average 5.7 hours per week, as much as a headache and more of osteoarthritis (4.8 hours), allergies (4.1) and hypertension (3.3). But to go up in smoke are also needed to treat €, both good and bad. Based on the analysis economist at the University of Barcelona (Spain) Josep Darbo, "every patient costs an average of € 242 for drugs, 74 for any hospitalizations and 26 to the time spent by doctors visits. The which means that Italy spends 3 billion and 443 million euro in direct medical costs. "What's more, absenteeism in the workplace adds a billion to the bill. and this was set as the presence the desk but not 100% of its ability, it adds another 4 billion and 400 million. In short, astonishing figures which must be added to the resources expended on account of bad treatment is not appropriate to the needs of the patient, who resolved in the wrong drugs, hospitalization, and worsening of conditions which may lead to more serious and costly diseases including Barrett's esophagus or esophageal adenocarcinoma. Hence the need, Tonini stresses, "a proper diagnosis and especially the right care for the patient's needs. The drugs now available, proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) that reduce stomach acid, are five. But the best effects are obtained with the two next-generation: the esomeprazole and pantoprazole. It 'clear - he adds - that these two molecules will be the first choice for patients with more complicated forms or less easy to treat. Even though they cost more ". The pharmacologist aimed strong criticism in this regard to the regions that have introduced restrictive decisions that, by including the reference price, in effect limiting their access to medicines to all patients for whom would indicated. "In regions without the reference price - continues Tonini - esomeprazole and pantoprazole absorb 24% of the market Ipp, while the other (Lazio, Sicily, Puglia, Sardinia , Liguria, Abruzzo, Molise and Calabria) the figure is only 11%. The resolutions - he concludes - were also criticized by the Italian Drug Agency (AIFA), who admitted the existence of substantial differences, and a problem to be addressed. " (Reuters)
