LANSOPRAZOLE AND OMEPRAZOLE IN THE PREVENTION OF RELAPSE OF REFLUX ESOPHAGITIS - A LONG-TERM COMPARATIVE-STUDY

Background: Proton pump inhibitors are superior to H-2-receptor antago nists, in the prevention of relapse of oesophagitis, but few data dire ctly compare the relative efficacies of lansoprazole and omeprazole in preventing oesophagitis relapse over a prolonged period. Methods: Pat ients with healed Grade II, III or TV oesophagitis were treated with l ansoprazole 30 mg o.d. or omeprazole 20 mg o.d. for 48 weeks. Endoscop y and symptom assessment were performed after 12, 24 and 48 weeks of t reatment and an additional symptom assessment 36 weeks after starting treatment. Results: Intention-to-treat analysis included 248 patients (lansoprazole n = 126, omeprazole n = 122). Comparison of time to endo scopic and/or symptomatic relapse revealed no difference between the t reatments. There was no significant difference between treatments with respect to the proportion of patients in whom endoscopic and/or sympt omatic relapse was reported (lansoprazole 12/126 (9.5%), omeprazole 11 /122 (9.0%)). Na difference between the treatments in either the numbe r or severity of adverse events was reported. Conclusions: Continuous treatment with either lansoprazole 30 mg or omeprazole 20 mg is effect ive in preventing the relapse of oesophagitis over a 48-week period in a majority of patients. Both treatments exhibit a similar side-effect profile.