[A randomized, prospective, comparative, multicenter study of rabeprazole and ranitidine in the treatment of reflux esophagitis].
OBJECTIVE
This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of rabeprazole (proton-pump-inhibitor) and ranitidine (H(2)-receptor antagonist) in the symptom relief and treatment of erosive esophagitis diagnosed by endoscopy.


METHODS
A total of 110 patients with typical gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms were enrolled in this multicenter study. They were randomized into rabeprazole group (53 patients) and ranitidine group (57 patients) respectively. The patients in rabeprazole group were given 10 mg of rabeprazole and ranitidine group received 300 mg of ranitidine before breakfast and dinner for 8 weeks. After the end of treatment, we evaluated the endoscopic healing rate of reflux esophagitis and symptomatic improvement.


RESULTS
After 8 weeks of treatment, rabeprazole group showed significantly higher complete endoscopic cure rate than ranitidine group (86.8% [46/53] vs. 57.9% [33/57], p=0.001) and higher symptomatic improvement of heartburn (91.2% [31/34] vs. 76.2% [32/42], p=0.085), especially in the first 7 days (76.7% vs. 45.3%, p=0.008). Also, rabeprazole group showed significantly higher improvement of regurgitation symptom than ranitidine group (100% [35/35] vs. 83% [39/47], p=0.009). Both group showed no differences in the improvement of chest pain and globus sensation. All the adverse events (rabeprazole group 4 events vs. ranitidine group 3 events) were mild and there was no abnormality in laboratory test.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with GERD, rabeprazole 10 mg b.i.d. is superior to ranitidine 300 mg b.i.d. in healing of reflux esophagitis and resolving typical GERD symptoms. Rabeprazole is an effective and well-tolerated drug for GERD treatment.
Jeong
Hyun Yong
HY
Department of Internal Medicine, Chungnam National University College of Medicine, Chungnam, Korea. jeonghy@cnu.ac.kr
Lee
Byong Seok
BS
Sung
Jae Kyu
JK
Lee
Tae Yong
TY
Yoon
Sae Jin
SJ
Kim
Sun Joo
SJ
Chung
Il Kun
IK
Lee
Suck Ho
SH
Shin
Jeong Eun
JE
Lee
Dong Soo
DS
Baek
Jong Tae
JT
Nam
Soon Woo
SW
Yoon
Sang Jeong
SJ
Kim
Seok Hyun
SH
Lee
Gye Sung
GS
Lee
Jong Min
JM
Kim
An Na
AN
Oh
Jae In
JI
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000328:Adult; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000627:therapeutic use; D064750:Rabeprazole; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D064750:Rabeprazole; D011899:Ranitidine; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases; D009853:Omeprazole