Use of vonoprazan, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, for the treatment of proton pump inhibitor-refractory reflux esophagitis in patients with systemic sclerosis

2021 ◽  
pp. 239719832110217
Author(s):  
Yuichiro Shirai ◽  
Noriyuki Kawami ◽  
Katsuhiko Iwakiri ◽  
Masataka Kuwana

Proton pump inhibitor-refractory reflux esophagitis is one of the intractable conditions of systemic sclerosis for which new treatments are required. Vonoprazan is a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker and has been shown to have several advantages over conventional proton pump inhibitors, including a long duration of gastric acid suppression. To investigate the efficacy of vonoprazan for treating proton pump inhibitor-refractory reflux esophagitis in patients with systemic sclerosis, 10 patients with proton pump inhibitor-refractory reflux esophagitis who were switched to vonoprazan were selected from our systemic sclerosis database. Reflux esophagitis was evaluated by endoscopy, and gastroesophageal reflux disease–related symptoms were assessed by the frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire before and after switching from proton pump inhibitor to vonoprazan at an average interval of 3.5 [2–5.5] months. After switching patients to vonoprazan, the endoscopic findings of reflux esophagitis were significantly improved ( p = .033), and six patients (60%) achieved mucosal healing. The total frequency scale for the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease score was also significantly decreased ( p = .043), mainly by improving the acid reflux score. Vonoprazan was well tolerated and was continued for 15.5 [11.25–23.75] months in all patients. Vonoprazan is a potential treatment option for treating proton pump inhibitor-refractory reflux esophagitis in systemic sclerosis patients.

2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 85-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rimon Sobhi AZZAM

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a clinical condition that develops when the reflux of stomach contents causes troublesome symptoms and/or complications. Transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation is the main pathophysiological mechanism of GERD. Symptoms and complications can be related to the reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus, oral cavity, larynx and/or the lung. Symptoms and other possible manifestations of GERD are heartburn, regurgitation, dysphagia, non-cardiac chest pain, chronic cough, chronic laryngitis, asthma and dental erosions. The proton pump inhibitor (PPI) is the first-choice drug and the most commonly medication used for the treatment of GERD. The most widespread definition of Refractory GERD is the clinical condition that presents symptoms with partial or absent response to twice-daily PPI therapy. Persistence of symptoms occurs in 25% to 42% of patients who use PPI once-daily and in 10% to 20% who use PPI twice-daily. OBJECTIVE: The objective is to describe a review of the current literature, highlighting the causes, diagnostic aspects and therapeutic approach of the cases with suspected reflux symptoms and unresponsive to PPI. CONCLUSION: Initially, the management of PPI refractoriness consists in correcting low adherence to PPI therapy, adjusting the PPI dosage and emphasizing the recommendations on lifestyle modification change, avoiding food and activities that trigger symptoms. PPI decreases the number of episodes of acid reflux; however, the number of “non-acid” reflux increases and the patient continues to have reflux despite PPI. In this way, it is possible to greatly reduce greatly the occurrence of symptoms, especially those dependent on the acidity of the refluxed material. Response to PPI therapy can be evaluated through clinical, endoscopic, and reflux monitoring parameters. In the persistence of the symptoms and/or complications, other causes of Refractory GERD should be suspected. Then, diagnostic investigation must be initiated, which is supported by clinical parameters and complementary exams such as upper digestive endoscopy, esophageal manometry and ambulatory reflux monitoring (esophageal pH monitoring or esophageal impedance-pH monitoring). Causes of refractoriness to PPI therapy may be due to the true Refractory GERD, or even to other non-reflux diseases, which can generate symptoms similar to GERD. There are several causes contributing to PPI refractoriness, such as inappropriate use of the drug (lack of patient adherence to PPI therapy, inadequate dosage of PPI), residual acid reflux due to inadequate acid suppression, nocturnal acid escape, “non-acid” reflux, rapid metabolism of PPI, slow gastric emptying, and misdiagnosis of GERD. This is a common cause of failure of the clinical treatment and, in this case, the problem is not the treatment but the diagnosis. Causes of misdiagnosis of GERD are functional heartburn, achalasia, megaesophagus, eosinophilic esophagitis, other types of esophagitis, and other causes. The diagnosis and treatment are specific to each of these causes of refractoriness to clinical therapy with PPI.


2008 ◽  
Vol 149 (40) ◽  
pp. 1881-1888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márk Juhász ◽  
Zsolt Tulassay

A protonpumpagátlók (protonpumpa-inhibitorok, PPI) bevezetése új fejezetet nyitott a gastrooesophagealis refluxbetegség (gastroesophageal reflux disease, GERD) kezelésében. A betegek kisebb, de nem jelentéktelen hányadában azonban a PPI sem hatékony. Ilyen esetekben az első kérdés mindig az, hogy a tünetek valóban GERD-nek tulajdoníthatók-e, vagy egyéb betegség után kell kutatnunk. Ha a GERD a legvalószínűbb lehetőség, akkor a további vizsgálatok és a több támadáspontú kezelés előtt fel kell térképeznünk a beteg együttműködését (compliance). Ha az eredménytelen PPI-kezelés hátterében nem helytelenül kezelt GERD áll, akkor számos egyéb kórkép lehetőségét is fel kell vetnünk. Összefoglaló közleményünkben az elkülönítő diagnosztikai kérdésekről adunk áttekintést.


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