[Treatment of reflux esophagitis with sucralfat]

In a multi-centre placebo-controlled double-blind study, the therapeutic effectiveness of sucralfate (aluminium sucrose sulphate, four times 1 g daily) was tested on 66 out-patients with endoscopically confirmed reflux oesophagitis. After 12 weeks of treatment complete healing occurred in 72% of the sucralfate group, and in a further 14% there was improvement. In the placebo group the healing rate was 40%, with improvement in a further 20%. Serious side-effects did not occur. Sucralfate treatment was especially effective in patients with signs of high-grade inflammation (stage III of Savary and Miller) unsuccessfully treated with other drugs. Contrary to previously available drugs, sucralfate is effective also in lesions caused by alkaline reflux and is thus a useful addition to the hitherto unsatisfactory means of treatment.