78616
document
Double-blind comparison of liquid antacid and placebo in the treatment of symptomatic reflux esophagitis . Although antacids have been the mainstay of pharmacologic therapy for reflux esophagitis , their effectiveness has not been tested in a placebo-controlled double-blind trial . We report a double-blind comparison of liquid antacid vs placebo in the treatment of reflux esophagitis in 32 patients with chronic heartburn . Entry criteria included the presence of symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux confirmed by both an acid perfusion ( Bernstein ) test and by intraesophageal pH probe . Drug treatment consisted of 15 ml ( 80 mEq ) doses of antacid ( Maalox Therapeutic Concentration , William H. Rorer ) or placebo taken 7 times daily , ie , 1 and 3 hr after meals and at bedtime . Both groups showed significant improvement ( P less than 0.05 ) in both frequency and severity of heartburn . The time to reproduce heartburn with the timed Bernstein test was increased with both active drug and placebo therapy . The mean increase was 402 % ( 41 +/- 20 sec to 169 +/- 66 sec ) for the placebo group and 286 % ( 42 +/- 16 to 120 +/- 57 sec ) in the antacid group . Both the antacid and placebo groups showed improvement in the degree of esophagitis as assessed endoscopically . The current study asked : does regular antacid therapy have a favorable influence on the natural history of symptomatic reflux esophagitis , ie , does therapy heal or otherwise change esophagitis so that painful episodes are either less frequent , less severe , or both ? We found that the natural history of symptomatic reflux esophagitis was to improve with either antacid or placebo . There was no significant difference in antacid or placebo on the ( short-term ) natural history of the disease .
78617
Intervention_Pharmacological
liquid antacid
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Intervention_Control
placebo
78619
Intervention_Pharmacological
antacids
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Intervention_Pharmacological
liquid antacid
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Intervention_Control
placebo
78622
Intervention_Pharmacological
antacid ( Maalox Therapeutic Concentration
78623
Intervention_Control
placebo
78624
Intervention_Pharmacological
active drug
78625
Intervention_Pharmacological
antacid
78626
Intervention_Pharmacological
antacid
78627
Intervention_Pharmacological
antacid
78628
Outcome_Physical
frequency and severity of heartburn
78629
Outcome_Physical
time to reproduce heartburn
78630
Outcome_Physical
degree of esophagitis
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Outcome_Physical
symptomatic reflux esophagitis
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Outcome_Physical
natural history of symptomatic reflux esophagitis
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Outcome_Physical
natural history of the disease
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Participant_Condition
symptomatic reflux esophagitis
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Participant_Sample-size
32
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Participant_Condition
chronic heartburn