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Background: Erosive oesophagitis appears to be more common in white vs. nonwhite patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD)., Aim: To evaluate the association between race and erosive oesophagitis healing in patients with GERD treated with once-daily proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)., Methods: Data from five double-blind trials of once-daily treatment with esomeprazole 40mg vs. omeprazole 20mg or lansoprazole 30mg for erosive oesophagitis healing (evaluated at weeks 4 and 8 by endoscopy) were pooled and stratified by baseline race and Los Angeles (LA) severity grade. Multiple logistic regression models were fit with erosive oesophagitis healing (dependent variable) and race (independent variable), with adjustments for treatment, study, baseline LA grade, age, gender, BMI, Helicobacter pylori status, hiatal hernia and interactions of these factors with race., Results: Of 11,027 patients, 91% were white. Nonwhite (n=978) and black (n=613) patients were less likely to have severe baseline erosive oesophagitis (LA grade C or D) than white patients [adjusted OR: 0.69 (95% CI, 0.61-0.79) and 0.67 (0.57-0.78), respectively; P<0.0001]. At week 8, nonwhite and black patients had lower healing rates than white patients [OR: 0.75 (0.63-0.89) and 0.67 (0.54-0.83), respectively; P≤0.001]. Greater odds of healing were associated with less severe baseline LA grade, increasing age, hiatal hernia, esomeprazole treatment (vs. lansoprazole or omeprazole) and lansoprazole treatment (vs. omeprazole) (all P≤0.0009); no factor interacted significantly with race., Conclusions: Nonwhite patients with GERD had less severe baseline erosive oesophagitis, but were less likely than white patients to have erosive oesophagitis healing after 8-week PPI therapy., (© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Background: Factors associated with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and erosive oesophagitis (EO) are incompletely understood and the overlap between the two entities is debated., Aim: To compare clinical, demographic, and endoscopic findings in a large cohort of NERD and EO patients., Methods: After they completed a validated GERD questionnaire, patients who presented for index endoscopy were enrolled and categorized as NERD or EO. Analysis was performed using Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U-test and multivariate logistic regression., Results: A total of 696 GERD patients [455 (65.4%) NERD; 241 (34.6%) EO]; mean age 57 years; 92% men and 82% Caucasian were prospectively enrolled. Using logistic regression, patients on PPI were more likely to be classified as NERD (OR: 3.2; P < 0.001). NERD patients were older (OR: 1.50; P = 0.05), less likely to have nocturnal symptoms (OR: 0.63; P = 0.04) and hiatal hernia (OR: 0.32; P < 0.001). Compared with PPI-naïve NERD patients, those on PPI were more likely to have nocturnal symptoms (69% vs. 29%, P = 0.048) and less likely to have mild-moderate symptoms (63% vs. 79%, P < 0.001) - similar to the EO group., Conclusions: Pre-endoscopy PPI usage contributes significantly to the classification of GERD patients into the NERD-phenotype. NERD patients on PPI therapy demonstrate some features that are significantly different from PPI-naïve patients, but similar to EO patients. This observation supports the notion that some PPI NERD patients are actually healed EO patients, and that an overlap does exist between the GERD phenotypes., (© 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.)

Background: Dexlansoprazole MR employs a dual delayed-release delivery system that extends drug exposure and prolongs pH control compared with lansoprazole., Aim: To assess the efficacy and safety of dexlansoprazole MR in healing erosive oesophagitis (EO)., Methods: Patients in two identical double-blind, randomized controlled trials (n = 4092) received dexlansoprazole MR 60 or 90 mg or lansoprazole 30 mg once daily. Week 8 healing was assessed using a closed testing procedure--first for non-inferiority, then superiority, vs. lansoprazole. Secondary endpoints included week 4 healing and week 8 healing in patients with moderate-to-severe disease (Los Angeles Classification grades C and D). Life-table and crude rate analyses were performed. Symptoms and tolerability were assessed., Results: Dexlansoprazole MR achieved non-inferiority to lansoprazole, allowing testing for superiority. Using life-table analysis, dexlansoprazole MR healed 92-95% of patients in individual studies vs. 86-92% for lansoprazole; the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.025). Using crude rate analysis, dexlansoprazole MR 90 mg was superior to lansoprazole in both studies and 60 mg was superior in one study. Week 4 healing was > 64% with all treatments in both studies. In an integrated analysis of 8-week healing in patients with moderate-to-severe EO, dexlansoprazole MR 90 mg was superior to lansoprazole. All treatments effectively relieved symptoms and were well tolerated., Conclusion: Dexlansoprazole MR is highly effective in healing EO and offers benefits over lansoprazole, particularly in moderate-to-severe disease.

Background: Barrett's oesophagus patients may continue to have abnormal oesophageal acid exposure on proton pump inhibitor therapy. The effect of factors such as Barrett's oesophagus length, hiatal hernia size and Helicobacter pylori infection on intra-oesophageal pH in Barrett's oesophagus patients has not been adequately studied., Aim: To evaluate oesophageal acid exposure in a large Barrett's oesophagus population on b.d. proton pump inhibitor therapy and determine clinical factors predicting normalization of intra-oesophageal pH on therapy., Methods: Barrett's oesophagus patients were studied using 24 h pH monitoring to evaluate intra-oesophageal acid suppression on b.d. dosing of rabeprazole., Results: Forty-six Barrett's oesophagus patients completed the study. Median total percentage time pH < 4 was 1.05% (range: 0-29.9%) in the entire group and respective values for upright and supine percentage time pH < 4 were 1.15% and 0%. However, 34 of the Barrett's oesophagus patients (73.9%) had a normal pH study (median total percentage time pH < 4: 0.2%) and 12 patients (26.1%) had an abnormal result (median total percentage time pH < 4: 9.3%). There were no significant differences between patients with a normal and abnormal 24 h pH result with respect to age, Barrett's oesophagus length, hiatal hernia size and presence of H. pylori infection., Conclusions: Approximately 25% of Barrett's oesophagus patients continue to have abnormal total intra-oesophageal pH profiles despite b.d. proton pump inhibitor therapy. Factors such as age, Barrett's oesophagus length and hiatal hernia size cannot be used to predict persistent abnormal intra-oesophageal pH on proton pump inhibitor.

Despite implementation of screening and surveillance strategies, a significantly large number of patients with Barrett's oesophagus remain undiagnosed. In those who are identified, the management options include acid reduction therapies with proton pump inhibitors or anti-reflux surgery. Endoscopic ablative therapies have also been attempted. In addition to having inherent procedure-related risks with ablative therapies, these alternatives may be limited by high rates of failure, need for continued acid suppressive therapy, metaplasia persistence under otherwise normal appearing tissue, need for procedural expertise, and continued risk for adenocarcinoma development. Therefore, a widely applicable chemoprevention strategy that cost-effectively reduces the rate of progression from oesophagitis to adenocarcinoma in high-risk patients and perhaps those at lower rates of risk is highly desirable. The AspECT trial currently underway is seeking to determine the effects of high- and low-dose proton pump inhibitor therapy with and without low-dose aspirin as Barrett's oesophagus chemoprevention.

The major oesophageal complications associated with persistent gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) include erosive oesophagitis, ulceration, strictures and gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. Although the causes of these complications are uncertain, studies indicate that erosive oesophagitis may progress to the development of ulcers, strictures and GI bleeding. Pharmacological treatment with proton pump inhibitors is favoured over that with H2-receptor antagonists for the treatment of strictures. The treatment of strictures is accomplished with dilation and many favour the concomitant use of proton pump inhibitors. Most gastroenterologists are seeing far fewer oesophageal strictures these days since the introduction of proton pump inhibitors. In addition, research has shown that oesophageal complications have a greater impact on patients suffering from night-time GERD than on those suffering from daytime GERD. Barrett's oesophagus is a significant complication associated with persistent GERD and those at risk generally experience a longer duration of symptoms, especially those with a high degree of severity. In addition, there is a strong relationship between Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. This is in part due to the association of obesity and the development of hiatal hernias. Furthermore, endoscopic screening is being used to detect Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma in persons suffering from chronic GERD, even though screening may not have an impact on outcomes (Sharma P, McQuaid K, Dent J,et al.A critical review of the diagnosis and management of Barrett's esophagus: The AGA Chicago Workshop. Gastroenterology 2004; 127: 310–30.). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite implementation of screening and surveillance strategies, a significantly large number of patients with Barrett's oesophagus remain undiagnosed. In those who are identified, the management options include acid reduction therapies with proton pump inhibitors or anti-reflux surgery. Endoscopic ablative therapies have also been attempted. In addition to having inherent procedure-related risks with ablative therapies, these alternatives may be limited by high rates of failure, need for continued acid suppressive therapy, metaplasia persistence under otherwise normal appearing tissue, need for procedural expertise, and continued risk for adenocarcinoma development. Therefore, a widely applicable chemoprevention strategy that cost-effectively reduces the rate of progression from oesophagitis to adenocarcinoma in high-risk patients and perhaps those at lower rates of risk is highly desirable. The AspECT trial currently underway is seeking to determine the effects of high- and low-dose proton pump inhibitor therapy with and without low-dose aspirin as Barrett's oesophagus chemoprevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]