DECISION SUPPORT UNIT
8th Floor, 259 Queen St, Brisbane
3rd Floor Blackburn House, 199 Grenfell St, Adelaide
Intranet site: http://intranet/nat/comp/dp/Nop/dsu/dsudefault.htm
SOP Bulletin No. 91
08 April 2005
THE FOLLOWING RMA SOPS WILL TAKE EFFECT ON 13 APRIL 2005
New SOPs
Dermatomyositis
Revocations &
Replacements
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease
Sleep apnoea
Amendments
Nil
IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL FEATURES
Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease


Revocation – 11 & 12 of ‘05
Replaces 52 and 53 of '02
The definition has been slightly changed to specify that the condition must be
chronic. In the medical context “chronic” means persisting over a long period of
time (and it has no meaning with regard to severity).
The minimum smoking factor requirements have been changed from 5/day + 1 pk yr
(RH) and 10/day + 2 pk yrs (BOP) to 10/day for 6 months (RH) and 20/day for 6
months (BOP).
533575013
Decision Support Unit
Business Development, Monitoring and Support Section
Disability Compensation Branch
Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Page 1 of 2
The alcohol factor, previously requiring dependence or abuse, has been changed to
a dose of alcohol.
 Treatment with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, previously a factor for
onset and worsening in both RH and BOP SOPs, is now just a worsening factor in
the RH SOP only.
 Undergoing a gastrectomy, previously covered by the surgical procedure factor, is
now included as a factor on its own.
 There are new factors for:
 Sjögren’s syndrome (RH & BOP);
 eradication of Helicobacter pylori in a person with chronic gastritis (RH only);
 doxycycline (RH worsening only); and
 a drug causing acute erosive oesophagitis (RH worsening only).

Sleep apnoea




Revocation – 13 & 14 of ‘05
Replaces 39 and 40 of '97
As before, the SOP does not cover isolated sleep apnoea without clinical
consequences. Brief and infrequent cessation of breathing (apnoea) during sleep is
normal and not a disease.
In the previous SOP there was a definition note that excluded temporary sleep
apnoea due to alcohol consumption. That note has been removed, and alcoholrelated sleep apnoea is now covered by the SOP, but note that alcohol is included
as a worsening factor only.
There are new causal and worsening factors in both RH and BOP SOPs for endstage renal failure.
Changes to other factors are cosmetic only.
Dermatomyositis

New – 15 & 16 of ‘05
This SOP covers a rare disorder involving progressive muscle weakness and skin
changes. Claims will be very infrequent. There are causal factors in the RH SOP
only, for being treated with certain drugs.
Contact Officers for this bulletin:
Maureen Anderson
Dr Bev Grehan
Dr Jon Kelley
533575013
x 50365
x 48376
x 48412
Decision Support Unit
Business Development, Monitoring and Support Section
Disability Compensation Branch
Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs
Page 2 of 2