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Treatment of non-erosive reflux disease with a proton pump inhibitor in Chinese patients: a randomized controlled trial

  • Original Article—Alimentary Tract
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Abstract

Background

Evidence suggests that rates of gastroesophageal reflux disease are increasing in the Asia–Pacific region, where patients tend to have predominantly non-erosive reflux disease as opposed to erosive (reflux) esophagitis. At present, data for the responsiveness of non-erosive reflux disease to proton pump inhibition are scant. We aimed to study esomeprazole for the treatment of non-erosive reflux disease in Chinese patients.

Methods

Patients with a clinical diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux, and a locally validated reflux index, the Chinese GerdQ, of equal to or greater than 12 were recruited and randomized to receive esomeprazole 20 mg daily or placebo for 8 weeks. Reflux index scores, quality of life (SF-36), and the hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scale and symptom relief were evaluated before, during, and after treatment.

Results

A total of 175 patients were randomized. Patients in the esomeprazole group (n = 85) demonstrated statistically significant reductions in their GerdQ index, from 19.45 to 15.37 and to 14.32 (p = 0.013, p = 0.005) at weeks 4 and 8, respectively. Compared to placebo at week 8, 57.1% of patients on esomeprazole found that their symptoms had resolved or were acceptable compared with 37.2% in the placebo group (p = 0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in overall quality-of-life measures or the HAD scale related to treatment.

Conclusions

This study suggests that esomeprazole is efficacious in treating Chinese patients with non-erosive reflux disease.

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Acknowledgments

We thank AstraZeneca Hong Kong for the supply of the study medicine and the identical placebo tablets. The study was supported by the Simon KY Lee Endowment Professorship, and the outstanding researcher award 2005–2006 of the University of Hong Kong.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Victoria P. Y. Tan, Wai M. Wong, Ting K. Cheung, Kam C. Lai, Ivan F. N. Hung, Pierre Chan, Roberta Pang & Benjamin C. Y. Wong

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  1. Victoria P. Y. Tan
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  2. Wai M. Wong
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  3. Ting K. Cheung
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  4. Kam C. Lai
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  5. Ivan F. N. Hung
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  7. Roberta Pang
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  8. Benjamin C. Y. Wong
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Correspondence to Benjamin C. Y. Wong.

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Tan, V.P.Y., Wong, W.M., Cheung, T.K. et al. Treatment of non-erosive reflux disease with a proton pump inhibitor in Chinese patients: a randomized controlled trial. J Gastroenterol 46, 906–912 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-011-0402-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-011-0402-1

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