SUCRALFATE MAINTENANCE THERAPY IN REFLUX ESOPHAGITIS

Objective: to prove in a double-blind placebo-controlled multinational trial the effects of sucralfate suspension 2 g BID and placebo in the prevention of recurrent reflux esophagitis, Methods: One hundred and eighty-four patients from 16 centers with reflux esophagitis Savary gr ade 1 and 2 were initially healed with antiscretory therapy before ent ering the study, They were randomly allocated to sucralfate suspension 2 g BID or placebo for 6 months, Symptoms were monitored monthly, End oscopy was performed at the end of the trial or earlier in case of cli nical suspension of relapse, Results: The two treatment groups mere we ll matched, We were able to analyze 88 sucralfate- and 93 placebo-trea ted patients, There was a significant reduction in the endoscopic rela pse rate (31% in the sucralfate group vs, 65% in the placebo group, p < 0.001), This reduction was especially obvious for symptomatic relaps es (10% vs, 34%, respectively,p < 0.001), Conclusion: This is the firs t study to show that sucralfate suspension is capable of preventing re current reflux esophagitis in patients with solitary or confluent eros ions previously healed with antisecretory therapy.