Pantoprazole 20 mg is an effective maintenance therapy for patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease

OBJECTIVES: To compare the efficacy of 20 mg with 40 mg pantoprazole in maintaining symptomatic and endoscopic remission in patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD). STUDY DESIGN: Patients (18-84 years old; n = 433) with healed GORD II or III were included in this prospective multi-centre, randomized, parallel, double-blind study. Pantoprazole was administered once daily for up to 1 year as either a 20 mg or 40 mg enteric-coated tablet to 221 and 212 patients, respectively. Symptoms of GORD were assessed every 3 months. Endoscopy was performed at entry, after 6 and 12 months, or when symptoms of GORD were perceived on at least three consecutive days. The primary efficacy parameter was the time until endoscopically proven relapse of GORD occurred (stage I or greater); the secondary parameters included tolerability, safety, and time until symptomatic relapse occurred. RESULTS: In the 20 mg treatment group, 87% and 75% of patients were in endoscopic remission after 6 and 12 months, respectively; the corresponding rates in the 40 mg treatment group were 91% and 78%. In both treatment groups, GORD stage I accounted for about 50% of endoscopic relapses. The symptomatic remission rates in the 20 mg group were estimated as 85% and 77% after 6 and 12 months, respectively; the corresponding values in the 40 mg group were 87% and 76%. No correlation was seen either between the endoscopically proven relapse and perception of symptoms, or between the severity of the pre-treatment stage of GORD and the maintenance dose of pantoprazole. Both doses were well tolerated. CONCLUSIONS: Both the 20 mg and 40 mg doses of pantoprazole are safe and effective in maintaining patients with healed reflux oesophagitis in remission. Moreover, for the majority of patients, the 20 mg dose provides adequate long-term therapeutic efficacy at a minimal drug exposure and lower costs.