Health-related Quality of Life of Patients with Acute Erosive Reflux Esophagitis

One thousand one hundred forty-five patients with acute erosive reflux esophagitis participating in an eight-week double-blind, multicenter study of lansoprazole 15 mg daily, lansoprazole 30 mg daily, omeprazole 20 mg daily, and placebo responded to a health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire at baseline and at two, four, and eight weeks. At baseline, there were no HRQoL differences among the four study groups. However, all three active treatment groups improved statistically significantly more than placebo on most HRQoL scales at each follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences among the three active treatment groups at week 2, although in most instances lansoprazole 30 mg showed slightly more improvement. After week 2, benefits in all the study groups leveled off and remained constant. Greater acid suppression appeared to result in greater improvement in terms of HRQoL.