Effect of pantoprazole in older patients with erosive esophagitis

Several studies suggest that older adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are more likely to develop complications, including erosive esophagitis, but it is unclear whether erosive esophagitis is more difficult to treat in older patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if adults > or = 65 years with erosive esophagitis are more difficult to treat than younger adults. The study was a post hoc analysis of two double-blind, randomized, multicenter trials of patients with erosive esophagitis. Patients received pantoprazole 40 mg once daily, nizatidine 150 mg twice daily or placebo. Patients were evaluated for endoscopic healing at 4 and 8 weeks. Patients recorded typical reflux symptoms using a daily diary to note presence or absence of symptoms. Results showed that 44, 13 and 11 patients > or = 65 years and 210, 69, and 71 patients < 65 received pantoprazole 40 mg daily, nizatidine 150 mg twice daily, or placebo, respectively. Eighty-six percent (86%[76%, 97% CI]) of older and 83% (78%, 88% CI) of younger pantoprazole-treated patients were healed at 8 weeks; 46% (19%, 73% CI) and 35% (24%, 46% CI) of nizatidine-treated and 27% (1%, 54% CI) and 34% (23%, 45% CI) of placebo-treated were healed at 8 weeks. Median time to persistent absence of GERD-related symptoms was similar for older and younger patients treated with pantoprazole. We conclude that older patients with erosive esophagitis do not appear to have more difficult-to-treat disease. Erosive esophagitis is effectively healed and GERD symptoms are controlled in older patients using pantoprazole 40 mg daily.