LEVOSULPIRIDE AND DOMPERIDONE IN THE TREATMENT OF REFLUX ESOPHAGITIS - RESULTS OF A DOUBLE-BLIND-STUDY VERSUS PLACEBO

Thirty patients with endoscopically and histologically proven reflux esophagitis were randomly treated with either levosulpiride (25 mg TID), a benzamide derivate with antidopaminergic activity, domperidone (10 mg TID), or placebo for 12 weeks. All drug regimens proved effective in reducing the severity of symptoms. However, in the levosulpiride group, three symptoms (heartburn, retrosternal pain, and regurgitation) improved after treatment, compared with only one symptom (retrosternal pain) in the domperidone group. Levosulpiride was significantly better than domperidone (P = 0.002) and placebo (P = 0.003) in improving regurgitation, whereas domperidone was better than placebo in improving heartburn (P = 0.03). Levosulpiride was also significantly better than domperidone (P = 0.01) and placebo (P = 0.002) in improving overall dyspeptic symptoms, whereas no difference was observed between domperidone and placebo. No differences in endoscopic and histologic features were seen in the three treatment groups.