Effect of intravenous application of esomeprazole 40 mg versus pantoprazole 40 mg on 24-hour intragastric pH in healthy adults.

BACKGROUND

It has been demonstrated that therapy with proton pump inhibitors reduces recurrence of bleeding following initial endoscopic treatment of bleeding peptic ulcers.

AIM

This study compared the effects of esomeprazole 40 mg and pantoprazole 40 mg on intragastric acid control. Both substances were administered intravenously as 15-min infusion and as bolus injection.

METHODS

Healthy men and women volunteers were enrolled in this single-center, open, randomized, three-way crossover study. After administration of esomeprazole 40 mg and pantoprazole 40 mg intravenously as 15-min infusion, and pantoprazole 40 mg intravenously as bolus injection, continuous 24-h intragastric pH monitoring was carried out.

RESULTS

pH data were available for 21 Helicobacter pylori-negative and seven H. pylori-positive volunteers. In H. pylori-negative volunteers, esomeprazole 40 mg intravenously resulted in 11.8 h with an intragastric pH>4 compared with 5.6 h for pantoprazole 40 mg intravenously as infusion (P<0.0001), and 7.2 h for pantoprazole 40 mg intravenously as bolus injection (P<0.001). During the first 6 h of administration, the corresponding values were 3.4, 1.1 (P<0.000001), and 2.1 h (P<0.001), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In H. pylori-negative patients, a single dose of esomeprazole 40 mg intravenously provides an intragastric acid control that is faster and more pronounced than administration of pantoprazole 40 mg intravenously.