Therapeutic Research

Abstract

Object: To evaluate the clinical factors involved in the need for maintenance treatment with acid suppressants of reflux esophagitis（RE） patients. Patients and Methods: 64 Japanese patients diagnosed RE and needed initial treatments were enrolled in this study. After 8 weeks of initial treatment, we investigated the requirement of maintenance treatments with acid suppressants 1 year after diagnosis of RE. The clinical parameters associated with the need for maintenance treatment were evaluated. Results: 37 patients（57.8％） were requiring proton pump inhibitor（PPI）, and 17 patients（26.6％） were requiring H2 ?receptor antagonist 1 year after diagnosis. In total, 54 patients（84.4％） needed maintenance treatment by acid suppressants, and 10 patients（15.6％） were asymptomatic without medication 1 year after diagnosis. The proportion of the patients requiring PPI was higher in the elderly group（65.1％） than in the non?elderly group（42.9％）. The mean age and incidence of hiatal hernia（HH） and osteoporotic kyphosis change were significantly higher in patients requiring maintenance treatment than in those who required no medication. Conclusion: Most RE patients still require maintenance treatment with acid suppressants 1 year after diagnosis. The weakness of the protective system against acid reflux induced by age?related factors such as HH and osteoporotic kyphosis change is likely to be associated with requiring for maintenance treatment with acid suppressants.