Once-daily pantoprazole 40 mg and esomeprazole 40 mg have equivalent overall efficacy in relieving GERD-related symptoms.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of pantoprazole and esomeprazole for the treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease- (GERD-) related symptoms.


METHODS
In this multicentre, randomized, double-blind study 217 patients [intention-to-treat (ITT) population] diagnosed with endoscopically proven GERD grade B/C received pantoprazole (40 mg once daily (o.d.), n = 112] or esomeprazole (40 mg o.d/, n = 105) for 4 weeks. Patients recorded GERD-related symptoms (daytime and night-time) using diaries (daily), and/or by telephone interviews (every third day) and completed the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) questionnaire. The area under the time curve (AUC) for the sum score of GERD-related symptoms (symptom load of each patient during the treatment) and the time to reach adequate relief from GERD-related symptoms were calculated.


RESULTS
Patients reported first adequate relief from daytime GERD-related symptoms after a mean of 3.7 (pantoprazole) and 5.9 days (esomeprazole) (P = 0.034); the values for the night-time were 1.7 and 3.5 days, respectively (P = 0.012, ITT). The AUCs for the single symptoms and the sum scores were comparable.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with pantoprazole resulted in significantly faster first-time relief from daytime and night-time GERD-related symptoms than esomeprazole. Pantoprazole and esomeprazole were similar with respect to reduction of load of GERD-related symptoms.
Scholten
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T
University of Witten-Herdecke, General Hospital Hagen, Germany; and ALTANA Pharma, Konstanz, Germany. scholten@akh-hagen.de
Gatz
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G
Hole
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U
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D064098:Esomeprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077402:Pantoprazole; D013454:Sulfoxides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D013454:Sulfoxides; D000077402:Pantoprazole; D064098:Esomeprazole