Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is characterized by heartburn and related symptoms that are distressing to patients and interfere with everyday functioning and well-being. A measure of symptom distress, the GERD Symptom Assessment Scale (GSAS), was included in two randomized, placebo-controlled trials of rabeprazole among patients with nonerosive GERD. The age (mean ± SD) of the 223 patients was 43.5 ± 11.9 years, and most were female (67%) and Caucasian (78%). Significantly greater reductions in symptom distress were observed among patients receiving rabeprazole 20 mg daily for 4 weeks relative to those receiving placebo (–0.62 vs –0.36, P < 0.0001).="" the="" magnitude="" of="" this="" treatment="" difference="" was="" comparable="" to="" the="" differences="" observed="" between="" levels="" of="" overall="" symptom="" improvement="" on="" the="" patient="" global="" rating="" (0.2="" and="" 0.3="" points;="">P < 0.0001).="" in="" conclusion,="" reducing="" symptom="" distress="" is="" an="" important="" goal="" of="" therapeutic="" interventions="" for="" gerd.="" rabeprazole="" significantly="" reduced="" the="" distress="" associated="" with="" a="" broad="" range="" of="" gerd="" symptoms,="" and="" the="" magnitude="" of="" this="" effect="" was="" meaningful="" to="">