Acid-Suppressive Effect of Rabeprazole 5 mg and 10 mg Once Daily by 24-Hour Esophageal pH Monitoring in Patients with Non-erosive Reflux Disease in Japan: A Multicenter, Randomized, Parallel-Group, Double-Blind Pharmacodynamic Study

Background Acid suppression induced by rabeprazole 5 mg in patients with NERD has not been reported in the literature. Aims The objective of this study was to investigate gastroesophageal acid suppression in NERD patients by rabeprazole 5 mg and 10 mg/day. Methods Subjects were grade M (minimal changes) NERD patients. Twenty-two patients not responding to open label antacid therapy entered a double-blind treatment phase in which rabeprazole 5 mg or 10 mg/day for four weeks were compared. Twenty-four-hour esophageal pH monitoring was performed before and on treatment (at week 4) to assess the pharmacodynamic effect of these doses of rabeprazole. Results The frequency of heartburn episodes and the number of acid reflux episodes in the esophagus corresponded well in grade M NERD patients ( r = 0.44, P = 0.042). Median percentage of time at pH