PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ji Hyuk Lee
AU  - Mi Jin Kim
AU  - Jong Seung Lee
AU  - Yon Ho Choe
TI  - The effects of three alternative treatment strategies after 8 weeks of proton pump inhibitor therapy for GERD in children
AID  - 10.1136/adc.2010.188565
DP  - 2011 Jan 01
TA  - Archives of Disease in Childhood
PG  - 9--13
VI  - 96
IP  - 1
4099  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/96/1/9.short
4100  - http://adc.bmj.com/content/96/1/9.full
SO  - Arch Dis Child2011 Jan 01; 96
AB  - Objectives The purpose of this 24-week treatment study was to evaluate the effects of three treatment strategies after 8 weeks of lansoprazole therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease in children. Design Open-labelled, uncontrolled, prospective study. Setting Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Methods 37 erosive reflux disease (ERD) and 20 non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) patients were divided into three groups by symptom assessment at 8 weeks: (1) observation without treatment in the ‘symptoms-resolved’ group, (2) ‘on-demand’ treatment for an additional 16 weeks in the ‘symptoms-attenuated’ group and (3) continuous treatment in the ‘symptoms-persistent’ group. Results For ERD, six (100%) out of six patients in the ‘symptoms-resolved’ group remained improved at weeks 16 and 24. Sixteen (72.7%) out of 22 patients in the ‘symptoms-attenuated’ group had improvement of symptoms at 16 weeks, and 18 (81.8%) patients at 24 weeks. Six (66.7%) out of nine patients in the ‘symptoms-persistent’ group remained improved at weeks 16 and 24. For NERD, seven (100%) out of seven patients in the ‘symptoms-resolved’ group remained improved at weeks 16 and 24. Eight (80.0%) out of 10 patients in the ‘symptoms-attenuated’ group remained improved at week 16, and 10 (100.0%) patients at week 24. None out of three patients in the ‘symptoms-persistent’ group remained improved at weeks 16 and 24. Conclusions The selection of each alternative for long-term management according to the results of the assessment of symptoms at week 8 was useful and well tolerated. ‘On-demand’ therapy was equally effective. The 16-week therapy had the same efficacy as the 24-week therapy with regard to long-term lansoprazole treatment.