title: Ultrasonographic evaluation of lansoprazole-induced improvement of submucosal injury in patients with gastroesophageal reflux.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Endoscopic ultrasonographic (EUS) changes in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) after treatment with proton pump inhibitor have been poorly evaluated. We conducted a randomized, double-blind 12-wk clinical trial to compare the EUS effects of lansoprazole to histamine H2-receptor antagonist therapy in GERD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventeen patients with reflux-related symptoms received 40 mg of famotidine for 6 wk or 30 mg of lansoprazole for 6 wk followed by 40 mg of famotidine or 30 mg of lansoprazole for another 6 wk, respectively. Patients underwent EUS before and at 6 and 12 wk after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Before treatment, a variable degree of wall thickening was noted on EUS in the lower esophagus, compared with 20 normal subjects. After 6 wk of therapy, esophageal wall was significantly thicker in the famotidine group compared with the lansoprazole group (p<0.01). Surprisingly, thickening of esophageal wall and abnormal architecture were also detected in endoscopically negative reflux disease. Lansoprazole was superior to famotidine in reducing the thickness of esophageal wall.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EUS was very useful for evaluation of submucosal injury in patients with GERD. EUS showed that a 6-wk course of lansoprazole therapy reduced thickening of esophageal wall, which was resistant to histamine H2-receptor antagonist therapy. Our results also suggest that inflammatory damage to the submucosal and muscle layers of the lower esophagus is the underlying mechanism of heartburn and associated symptoms in patients with endoscopically negative reflux disease.
authors.affiliation: The First Department of Internal Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Kitakyushu, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mine
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujisaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tabata
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iida
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Eto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aibe
mesh_terms: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D019160:Endosonography; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D004947:Esophagus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D015738:Famotidine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D064747:Lansoprazole; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors
chemical_list: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D064747:Lansoprazole; D015738:Famotidine; D009853:Omeprazole