title: Long-term quality of life improvement in subjects with healed erosive esophagitis: treatment with lansoprazole.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic symptomatic condition and may be associated with erosive esophagitis (EE). Considerable data on the long-term maintenance of healing of EE are available, but data on long-term GERD symptom prevention and patient quality of life (QOL) are limited.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate QOL in subjects with healed EE who received 12 months of double-blind maintenance treatment with lansoprazole or ranitidine, followed by long-term open-label lansoprazole therapy to prevent recurrence of EE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects with healed EE received 12 months of double-blind maintenance treatment with lansoprazole 15 mg once daily or ranitidine 150 mg twice daily, followed by dose-titrated, open-label lansoprazole therapy for up to 82 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During double-blind treatment (n = 206), lansoprazole-treated patients showed significantly (P <or= 0.05) greater improvements than ranitidine-treated patients in the frequency, severity, and 'bothersomeness' of heartburn, the symptom index, problems of activity limitation, eating and drinking problems, symptom problems, health distress, and social functioning. During dose-titrated, open-label treatment (n = 195), all disease-specific QOL scales except sleep improved significantly (P < 0.001) from open-label baseline at each time-point.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Maintenance treatment with lansoprazole for 12 months in healed EE subjects produced significantly greater improvements in QOL indicators than ranitidine. These improvements were sustained during dose-titrated, open-label lansoprazole treatment.
authors: CURE Digestive Diseases Research Center, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, CA 90073, USA. TKovacs@mednet.ucla.edu
authors: Thomas O
authors: TO
authors: Kovacs
authors: James W
authors: JW
authors: Freston
authors: Marian M
authors: MM
authors: Haber
authors: Stuart
authors: S
authors: Atkinson
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Hunt
authors: David A
authors: DA
authors: Peura
mesh_terms: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004941:Esophagitis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D064747:Lansoprazole; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D064747:Lansoprazole; D011899:Ranitidine