Short-term treatment with proton pump inhibitors, H2-receptor antagonists and prokinetics for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease-like symptoms and endoscopy negative reflux disease.
BACKGROUND
Heartburn affects 25% of the adult population on a monthly basis and represents the core symptom of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). Treatment is readily available and puts a large demand on healthcare budgets. Research in the past has focused largely on the treatment of oesophagitis. A majority of GORD patients show no endoscopic abnormalities and in daily practice most patients are treated empirically.


OBJECTIVE
Summarise, quantify and compare the efficacy of the short-term use of proton pump inhibitors (PPI), H2-receptor antagonists (H2RA) and prokinetics in the empirical treatment of GORD and the treatment of endoscopy negative reflux disease (ENRD).


METHODS
Electronic searches were performed of the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, MEDLINE and EMBASE. Bibliographies were screened.


METHODS
Included were randomised controlled trials focussing on symptomatic outcome after short-term treatment for GORD using proton pump inhibitors, H2-receptor antagonists or prokinetic agents. Participants had to be classifiable in the empirical treatment group (no endoscopy used in treatment allocation) or in the endoscopy negative reflux disease group (no endoscopic signs of erosive oesophagitis).


METHODS
Data from included trials were extracted by two reviewers independently. The impact of interventions was expressed as relative risks (RR) together with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Meta-analysis was only performed if there were sufficient trials of similar comparisons reporting the same outcomes. Relative risks were combined for binary outcomes.


RESULTS
Twenty-three trials were included: eleven in the empirical treatment group, nine in the ENRD group and three in both. In empirical treatment of GORD the RR for heartburn remission in placebo-controlled trials for PPI was 0.35 (1 trial, 95% CI 0.26 to 0.46), for H2RAs 0.77 (2 trials, 95% CI 0.60 to 0.99) and for prokinetics 0.86 (1 trial, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.01). In a direct comparison PPIs were significantly (p<0.05) more effective than H2RAs (3 trials, RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.80) and prokinetic's (2 trials, RR 0.53, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.87). In treatment of ENRD, RR for heartburn remission for PPI versus placebo was 0.66 (5 trials, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.80) and for H2RA versus placebo was 0.84 (2 trials, 95% CI 0.74 to 0.95). The RR for PPI versus H2RA was 0.69 (2 trials, 95% CI 0.39 to 1.20) and for PPI versus prokinetic 0.72 (1 trial, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.92).


CONCLUSIONS
The findings in this review suggest that antisecretory drugs are effective in the empirical treatment of complaints likely to originate from GORD and in treatment of ENRD and furthermore that PPIs are superior to H2RAs in empirical treatment of typical GORD symptoms, but not in treatment of ENRD.
van Pinxteren
B
B
Department of General Practice, University Medical Center Utrecht, PO Box 80045, Utrecht, Netherlands, 3508 TA. menumans@knmg.nl
Numans
M E
ME
Bonis
P A
PA
Lau
J
J
D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006356:Heartburn / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005765:Gastrointestinal Agents; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors