title: Additional bedtime H2-receptor antagonist for the control of nocturnal gastric acid breakthrough: a Cochrane systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness and safety of additional bedtime H(2)-receptor antagonists (H(2)RAs) in suppressing nocturnal gastric acid breakthrough (NAB) via a systematic review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible trials were identified by searching the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (Cochrane Library Issue 2, 2004), MEDLINE (January 1966-June 2004), EMBASE (January 1980-June 2004) and CINAHL (January 1982-June 2004). Additional hand-searching was conducted on the proceedings of correlated conferences, eight important Chinese journals and references of all included trials. All randomized controlled trials evaluating H(2)RAs for the control of NAB were eligible for inclusion. The systematic review was conducted using methods recommended by The Cochrane Collaboration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only two randomized crossover studies, comprising 32 participants, met the inclusion criteria. Because the design, dosage and duration of the treatments were different between the studies, it was not possible to conduct meta-analysis. There were no consistent conclusions found between the two included studies in evaluating H(2)RAs for the control of NAB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No implications for practice at this stage can be concluded. Appropriately designed large-scale randomized controlled trials with long-term follow up are needed to determine the effects of additional bedtime H(2)RAs in suppressing NAB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Chengdu, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Yi Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Fu Cheng
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jin Lin
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005744:Gastric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D011899:Ranitidine; D009853:Omeprazole