Effects of rabeprazole on early symptom relief in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: the Hellenic Rabeprazole Study Group surveillance study.
BACKGROUND
In controlled clinical trials, rabeprazole effectively improves symptoms and heals oesophageal erosions in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).


OBJECTIVE
To examine symptom relief during week 1 of rabeprazole therapy, in addition to GORD healing, in a clinical practice setting.


METHODS
In this 8-week, prospective, multicentre, postauthorisation surveillance study conducted in Greece, patients with GORD (intent-to-treat: efficacy, 272; safety, 273) were treated with rabeprazole 20 mg once daily. The primary efficacy end point was the change from baseline in GORD symptom severity on day 1, 2, 3 and 7 using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = no symptoms; 5 = severe symptoms). Oesophageal healing was also evaluated by comparing the results of endoscopic findings at baseline and after 4 and 8 weeks of treatment.


RESULTS
On day 1 of treatment, rabeprazole relieved GORD symptoms across all grades of oesophagitis, with statistically significant (p = 0.0001) improvement in heartburn, regurgitation, epigastric pain and dysphagia. Oesophageal healing was achieved in 77% of patients at week 4 and in 90% at week 8 and treatment was well tolerated.


CONCLUSIONS
In a clinical practice setting, rabeprazole provided rapid relief of GORD symptoms, confirming results seen in controlled clinical trials.
Archimandritis
Athanasios J
AJ
Department of Pathophysiology, Laiko Gen Hospital, University of Athens Medical School, Greece. aarchima@med.uoa.gr
Nikolopoulou
Vassiliki
V
Kouklakis
Georgios
G
Paraskevas
Emanouil
E
Avgerinos
Alexandros
A
Tsianos
Epaminontas
E
Triantafillidis
John K
JK
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003680:Deglutition Disorders; D004947:Esophagus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010146:Pain; D011446:Prospective Studies; D064750:Rabeprazole; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D064750:Rabeprazole; D009853:Omeprazole