Comparable clinical efficacy and tolerability of 20 mg pantoprazole and 20 mg omeprazole in patients with grade I reflux oesophagitis

Background: Several clinical trials have shown that pantoprazole (40 mg) and omeprazole (40 or 20 mg) have similar efficacy and safety in the treatment of grade II-IV reflux oesophagitis (Savary-Miller classification). Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of once-daily doses of pantoprazole (20 rog) and omeprazole (20 mg) with respect to symptom relief and healing of patients with grade I reflux oesophagitis. Methods: Patients with endoscopically established grade I reflux oesophagitis (non-confluent, patchy red lesions with/without white fibrin coating) were enrolled into this randomized, open, parallel-group, multicentre study. A total of 328 patients (n = 166 in the pantoprazole group, n = 162 in the omeprazole group) were recruited in 23 centres. Patients received 4 weeks of treatment. If the reflux oesophagitis was not completely healed, the treatment was extended to 8 weeks. Results: After 2 and 4 weeks of treatment with either pantoprazole or omeprazole, the rate of symptom relief was similar (70% vs. 79% and 77% vs, 84%, respectively). High healing rates were observed after 4 and 8 weeks (pantoprazole: 84% and 90%, respectively; omeprazole: 89% and 95%, respectively). Both treatments were well tolerated. The most frequently reported adverse events on pantoprazole and omeprazole, respectively, were nausea (8% vs. 7%), diarrhoea (5% vs. 6%) and headache (6% vs. 3%). Conclusions: After 4 and 8 weeks of treatment with pantoprazole (20 mg) or omeprazole (20 mg), patients with mild gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (grade I) showed comparably high rates of symptom relief and healing. Both treatments were safe and well tolerated.