Sucralfate versus placebo in reflux esophagitis. A double-blind multicenter study

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition characterized by acid reflux causing esophageal inflammation.
• Reflux esophagitis, a complication of GERD, requires effective treatment for both symptom relief and mucosal healing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of sucralfate in healing esophageal lesions and relieving symptoms in patients with reflux esophagitis.
• To compare the healing rates and symptom improvement between sucralfate and placebo treatments.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 138 patients with endoscopically verified reflux esophagitis.
• Patients received either sucralfate (1 g four times daily) or placebo for up to 12 weeks.
• Esophageal healing was assessed using the modified Savary-Miller scale, and symptom relief was monitored.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in complete esophageal healing rates between sucralfate (42% at 6 weeks, 54% at 12 weeks) and placebo (35% at 6 weeks, 41% at 12 weeks).
• Significantly greater symptom improvement was observed in the sucralfate group compared to placebo after 3 weeks of treatment.
• Antacid tablet usage for pain relief was implicitly lower in the sucralfate group, suggesting better symptom control.

Conclusions:

• Sucralfate demonstrates a symptomatic benefit in patients with reflux esophagitis.
• While not significantly improving healing rates compared to placebo, sucralfate effectively alleviates symptoms associated with the condition.