PURPOSE

To provide additional efficacy data in patients treated with rabeprazole through week 4, and to validate sustained relief of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms through week 8 as well as to further analyze rabeprazole safety in patients with wide-ranging demographic and clinical characteristics.

RESULTS

Patients in this study (N = 2,449) demonstrated significant overall improvement versus baseline (P < 0.001). Substantial symptom relief was seen throughout 8 weeks of treatment. By week 4, complete relief of daytime and nighttime heartburn, belching, regurgitation, and dysphagia was observed in 87.5, 90.7, 50.7, 77.6, and 75.1% of patients, respectively. Improvements were seen in rabeprazole-treated patients (<65 or >or=65 years) with a range of baseline symptom severities and across different racial groups. Rabeprazole was well tolerated.

CONCLUSIONS

In patients with endoscopy-confirmed erosive esophagitis treated with once-daily rabeprazole 20 mg, prompt and continuing improvements were seen in daytime and nighttime heartburn, belching, regurgitation, and dysphagia.