Objective: This randomized, double-blind study was designed to determine whether the proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole could prevent relapse among patients with healed erosive reflux esophagitis that had been resistant to healing with at least 3 months of H2-receptor antagonist therapy.
Results: By the end of the year, 13% of placebo patients remained healed compared with 67% of lansoprazole 15 mg and 55% of lansoprazole 30 mg patients (p < 0.001 for time to first relapse). All placebo patients were symptomatic by the end of the study whereas only one-third of the lansoprazole patients was symptomatic at the end of the 12-month study period. The two lansoprazole doses were comparably effective in maintaining healing and in symptom control and were well tolerated. Fasting serum gastrin values increased significantly to about 1.5-2 times the baseline values over the first 2 months of lansoprazole treatment; no further increase was noted.
Conclusion: Erosive relapse can be prevented in most patients for up to 1 yr with lansoprazole 15 mg or 30 mg once daily.