title: [Cycle and maintenance treatments in patients with reflux esophagitis after gastrectomy or gastric resection].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficiency and safety of Livodexa monotherapy in patients with reflux esophagitis (RE) after gastric resection or gastrectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The investigators examined 30 patients (16 men, 14 women) after gastrectomy (n = 15) or gastric resection (n = 15) who had anacidity as shown by pH-metry and the clinical and/or endoscopic signs of RE. During 4 months, Groups 1 and 2 patients received the drug in doses of 10 and 15 mg/kg/day, respectively. Maintenance treatment was performed for 2 months. The maintenance therapy group included 25 patients, including 12 patients who took Livodexa in a dose of 2.5 mg/kg/day (Group 1) and 13 patients who had 5 mg/kg/day (Group 2) during 2 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (Livodexa) resulted in the significantly reduced frequency and intensity of the major symptoms of the disease (heartburn, retrosternal pain, bitter eructation), by achieving a maximum effect at 4 months of therapy. Endoscopic remission was observed in 63.3 and 83.3% of the patients at 4 and 6 months of treatment, respectively. There was a significant and steady rise in the quality of life as evidenced by a visual analogue scale. The ursodeoxycholic acid dose of 10 mg/kg was effective in patients with grade 1 RE (single erosions) while it should be increased up to 15 mg/kg in those with more significant esophageal mucosal injury (grades 2-3 RE). Some patients receiving a maintenance dose of 2.5 mg/kg/day were recorded to have recurrent reflux disease with a relapse of clinical manifestations and a morphological substrate as catarrhal esophagitis. The group of patients receiving maintenance therapy (5 mg/kg/day) retained the achieved clinical and morphological remission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that Livodexa is effective in patients of this category.
authors.forename: O N
authors.initials: ON
authors.lastname: Minushkin
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Maslovskiĭ
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Shuleshova
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Nazarov
mesh_terms: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D002756:Cholagogues and Choleretics; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid