Pirenzepine in the Treatment of Reflux Oesophagitis: A Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blind Study

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Abstract
The efficacy of 50 mg pirenzepine twice daily in the treatment of reflux oesophagitis was compared with that of placebo in 47 patients over a period of 12 weeks. The 23 patients receiving pirenzepine experienced decreases in symptoms after 4 weeks (p < 0.001) and 12 weeks (p < 0.02) of treatment significantly greater than those in the 24 patients receiving placebo. The decreases in symptoms were associated with significantly less use of antacids by the pirenzepine group (p < 0.01) during the first 4 weeks. Endoscopically, oesophagitis was healed or improved in 54.5% of patients receiving pirenzepine and in 18.2% of patients receiving placebo (p < 0.05) after 4 weeks of treatment. After 12 weeks of treatment healing or improvement was seen in 55.0% and 35.0% of patients, respectively (difference not significant). Histologic improvement did not differ significantly between the groups. Our results suggest that pirenzepine is useful in the management of reflux oesophagitis.