Long-term prevention of erosive or ulcerative gastro-oesophageal reflux disease relapse with rabeprazole 10 or 20 mg vs. placebo: results of a 5-year study in the United States.

Background: 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.

Rabeprazole for the prevention of pathologic and symptomatic relapse of erosive or ulcerative gastroesophageal reflux disease. Rebeprazole Study Group.

Objective: We evaluated the effectiveness and safety profile of 10 and 20 mg of rabeprazole, a new proton pump inhibitor, once daily versus placebo in preventing endoscopic and symptomatic relapse for up to 1 yr among patients with healed erosive or ulcerative gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Methods: The 52-wk trial used a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group design in which 209 men and women were assigned to 10 or 20 mg of rabeprazole once daily in the morning or placebo.

Results: Both rabeprazole doses were significantly superior to placebo in preventing endoscopic relapse (p < 0.

Endoscopic treatment of large common bile duct stones with biliary endoprostheses.

Twelve elderly, ill patients with large common bile duct stones and cholelithiasis were treated with endoscopically placed biliary endoprostheses after endoscopic attempts at stone removal were unsuccessful. The patients were classified according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists' Physical Status Classification criteria and were Classes III and IV. The endoscopic procedures were tolerated well without complication.