PATTERNS OF 24-HOUR ESOPHAGEAL ACID EXPOSURE AFTER ACUTE WITHDRAWAL OF ACID SUPPRESSION

Aim: To measure 24-h ambulatory oesophageal pH data in patients with g astro-oesophageal reflux disease prior to, during and after acute trea tment with comparable doses of omeprazole and ranitidine. Methods: The subjects were 20 adults with at least 8% acid contact time. Ten subje cts were treated for 1 week with omeprazole 20 mg q.d.s. and 10 subjec ts with ranitidine 300 mg t.d.s. All subjects were examined at the end of 1 week of therapy and subsequent to cessation of treatment (1 day for ranitidine and 3 days for omeprazole). Results: Both drugs produce d a statistically significant (P < 0.05) decrease in acid contact time with acute treatment. Omeprazole produced a significantly greater dec rease in acid contact time when compared to ranitidine. Subsequent to treatment cessation, the total acid contact time for omeprazole remain ed significantly less than the baseline level, while ranitidine return ed to levels which were not significantly different from the baseline. Conclusion: These data provide no evidence for a 'reflux rebound' sub sequent to the cessation of acute acid secretory suppression.