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SUMMARYBackground: Erosive gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic condition requiring long-term maintenance treatment. However, few trials of proton pump inhibitors in maintaining healing of erosive or ulcerative GERD are conducted for longer than 1 year. Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of 10-and 20-mg rabeprazole with placebo in the 5-year maintenance of healing in patients previously diagnosed with erosive/ulcerative GERD healed in an acute efficacy trial. Methods: Patients (N ¼ 497) were randomized to receive once-daily doses of 10-or 20-mg rabeprazole or placebo. The primary efficacy measure was endoscopically documented absence of oesophageal erosions or ulcerations. Results: After 5 years, relapse rates in both rabeprazole groups were significantly lower than with placebo (rabeprazole 20 mg, 11%; 10 mg, 23%; placebo, 63%; P < 0.001 for rabeprazole vs. placebo; P ¼ 0.005 for rabeprazole 20 mg vs. 10 mg). Both rabeprazole doses were significantly superior to placebo in preventing relapse of heartburn frequency and improving patient quality of life. Analyses of adverse events, biopsy findings and laboratory values showed no evidence of clinically significant effects. Conclusions: Five-year maintenance therapy with rabeprazole is effective in preventing relapse of erosive or ulcerative GERD and is well tolerated.

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The combination of ranitidine bismuth citrate plus amoxicillin cures H. pylori infection in more than half of the patients treated. This treatment regimen shows promise as the basis for future non-macrolide, non-imidazole triple therapy regimens for curing H. pylori infection. Such regimens may be appropriate second-line treatment for patients who are resistant to or who are unable to tolerate macrolide- or imidazole-containing therapies.

In patients with active duodenal ulcer disease, rabeprazole 20 mg q.a.m. is superior to ranitidine 150 mg b.i.d. in healing, resolving ulcer pain frequency, improving nighttime pain severity, and improving overall well-being. Rabeprazole is an effective and well-tolerated alternative treatment for patients with active duodenal ulcer disease.