Esomeprazole 40 mg and 20 mg is efficacious in the long-term management of patients with endoscopy-negative gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: a placebo-controlled trial of on-demand therapy for 6 months.

Background: On-demand therapy may offer an effective approach to the long-term management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) without oesophagitis.

Aim: To examine the efficacy of the novel proton pump inhibitor esomeprazole as on-demand therapy in endoscopy-negative GORD.

Patients And Methods: Endoscopy-negative GORD patients who achieved complete resolution of heartburn after short-term esomeprazole or omeprazole treatment (n = 721) were randomized to esomeprazole 20 mg (n = 282), 40 mg (n = 293) or placebo (n = 146) on demand (maximum one dose/day) for 6 months.