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Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of esomeprazole in gastroesophageal reflux disease and Helicobacter pylori infection

Teng M, Khoo AL, Zhao YJ, Lin L, Lim BP, Wu TS, Dan YY

Journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics, 2015

10 citations

Abstract

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are one of the most widely used classes of drugs. However, the quantum clinical benefit of newer and more expensive PPIs over the older generation PPIs remains uncertain. This meta-analysis sought to assess the clinical and safety profiles of esomeprazole versus omeprazole at pharmacologically equivalent doses in healing gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease and eradicating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

METHODS: PubMed and the Cochrane Library were searched for randomized controlled trials comparing esomeprazole with omeprazole at all doses up to February 2015. Trials were assessed by two reviewers for eligibility according to predefined study inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was conducted using a random effects model, and heterogeneity in the estimated effects was investigated using meta-regression. Sensitivity analysis was performed to test the robustness of the findings.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Fifteen trials were included and none of which compared esomeprazole with omeprazole in peptic ulcer disease. The included studies had not evaluated esomeprazole 20 mg versus omeprazole 40 mg. In GERD, esomeprazole 40 mg (relative risk (RR) = 1·07; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·02 to 1·12) and 20 mg (RR=1·04; 95% CI 1·01 to 1·08) significantly improved esophagitis healing when compared with omeprazole 20 mg at week 8. The corresponding numbers needed to treat were 17 and 30,…

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