BACKGROUND

Erosive oesophagitis appears to be more common in white vs. nonwhite patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

AIM

To evaluate the association between race and erosive oesophagitis healing in patients with GERD treated with once-daily proton pump inhibitors (PPIs).

METHODS

Data from five double-blind trials of once-daily treatment with esomeprazole 40mg vs. omeprazole 20mg or lansoprazole 30mg for erosive oesophagitis healing (evaluated at weeks 4 and 8 by endoscopy) were pooled and stratified by baseline race and Los Angeles (LA) severity grade. Multiple logistic regression models were fit with erosive oesophagitis healing (dependent variable) and race (independent variable), with adjustments for treatment, study, baseline LA grade, age, gender, BMI, Helicobacter pylori status, hiatal hernia and interactions of these factors with race.

RESULTS

Of 11,027 patients, 91% were white. Nonwhite (n=978) and black (n=613) patients were less likely to have severe baseline erosive oesophagitis (LA grade C or D) than white patients [adjusted OR: 0.69 (95% CI, 0.61-0.79) and 0.67 (0.57-0.78), respectively; P<0.0001]. At week 8, nonwhite and black patients had lower healing rates than white patients [OR: 0.75 (0.63-0.89) and 0.67 (0.54-0.83), respectively; P≤0.001]. Greater odds of healing were associated with less severe baseline LA grade, increasing age, hiatal hernia, esomeprazole treatment (vs. lansoprazole or omeprazole) and lansoprazole treatment (vs. omeprazole) (all P≤0.0009); no factor interacted significantly with race.

CONCLUSIONS

Nonwhite patients with GERD had less severe baseline erosive oesophagitis, but were less likely than white patients to have erosive oesophagitis healing after 8-week PPI therapy.