Meta-Analyses of Cisapride, Omeprazole and Ranitidine in the Treatment of GORD: Implications for Treating Patient...

Meta-analyses of efficacy results reported in trials of the pharmacological treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) with cisapride, omeprazole or ranitidine were performed using randomised, double-blind studies identified by a Medline search covering the years 1984 to 1995.

The overall order of efficacy following 12 weeks of acute treatment was omeprazole 40 mg/day (95% cured) > ranitidine 600 mg/day (81% cured) > cisapride 40 mg/day or ranitidine 300 mg/day (approximately 60% cured). However, important differences emerged regarding efficacy in mild versus severe GORD, and in the frequency of relapse. In mild GORD, the cure rate with cisapride 40 mg/day was greater than the cure rate with ranitidine 300 mg/day (56 vs 38%, respectively), and the cure rate with cisapride 80 mg/day was similar to the cure rate with omeprazole 20 mg/day (82 vs 75%, respectively). In severe GORD, the cure rate with cisapride 80 mg/day was half that of omeprazole 20 mg/day (43 vs 87%, respectively) and comparable with that of ranitidine 300 mg/day (50%). Among patients treated acutely with omeprazole, 6-month relapse rates were 17% with omeprazole 20 mg/day maintenance therapy, but 76 to 80% without maintenance therapy. Among patients treated acutely with cisapride, 6-month relapse rates were 33% with 20 mg/day maintenance therapy and only 40% without maintenance therapy, which compare favourably with those following 6 months' maintenance therapy with ranitidine 300 mg/day (49%).

These results indicate that omeprazole is clearly the treatment of choice for severe GORD, suggest that cisapride may be the treatment of choice for mild GORD, and indicate that either of these two treatments is superior to ranitidine for the prevention of relapse. Further comparative clinical studies are needed, designed specifically to delineate the most appropriate drug therapy for various subgroups of GORD patients.