ISSN:
1365-2036
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Background : Symptom relief, through adherence to appropriate maintenance therapy, is the sole objective of treatment for patients with endoscopy-negative gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.Aim : To compare the efficacy of ‘on-demand’ treatment with esomeprazole 20 mg vs. continuous treatment with lansoprazole 15 mg daily in patients with endoscopy-negative gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.Methods : Endoscopy-negative gastro-oesophageal reflux disease patients who achieved complete resolution of heartburn after short-term (2–4 weeks) treatment with esomeprazole 20 mg (n = 774) were randomized to receive either esomeprazole 20 mg on-demand (n =311) or lansoprazole 15 mg continuous daily treatment (n = 311) for 6 months.Results : Significantly more patients were willing to continue taking esomeprazole on-demand than lansoprazole continuous therapy after 6 months (93% vs. 88%; P = 0.02). This superior outcome was achieved despite patients on esomeprazole requiring medication only 38% as often as those on lansoprazole, leading to direct cost savings of more than one-third (36%). Furthermore, patients receiving esomeprazole 20 mg on-demand were more satisfied with their treatment after 1 month compared with patients taking lansoprazole 15 mg continuously.Conclusions : In patients with endoscopy-negative gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, esomeprazole 20 mg on-demand is more acceptable to patients and is an economically more effective treatment than lansoprazole 15 mg continuously.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2036.2004.02155.x
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