• Yao Zong Yuan, Jing Yuan Fang, Duo Wu Zou, Nigel Levinson, Bartosz Jenner, and Joanne Wilkinson.
• Department of Gastroenterology, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
• J Dig Dis. 2016 Nov 1; 17 (11): 725-734.

ObjectiveTo assess the efficacy of Gaviscon Double Action (DA) alginate antacid chewable tablets for reducing esophageal acid exposure in Chinese patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).MethodsAltogether 44 patients reporting moderate to severe heartburn symptoms underwent two pH monitoring visits. The treatment sequence was randomized to patients received DA alginate antacid or placebo at one visit and the alternate treatment 7 days later. After a standardized reflux-provoking meal, patients took four tablets of DA alginate antacid or placebo. Esophageal pH was measured for 4 h post-dosing using an electrode positioned 5 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter. The primary end-point was the percentage of 4-h post-dosing period with pH <4. Secondary end-points were number of acid reflux episodes (pH <4), longest reflux time and DeMeester scores.ResultsAll 44 patients completed the study and provided data for analysis. With DA alginate antacid, the mean percentage time with pH <4 was 5.1%, significantly less (P = 0.0003) than with placebo (14.8%). DA alginate antacid was statistically significantly superior (P = 0.0290) to placebo (from at least twofold to threefold better) for all other end-points. Two patients reported two mild adverse events (AEs) that resolved within a month of completing the study. No patients had serious and/or severe AEs and none withdrew due to AEs.ConclusionsDA alginate antacid was statistically significantly superior to placebo in reducing post-prandial acid exposure without serious clinically relevant health risks. These findings suggest DA alginate antacid tablets are appropriate for treating acid reflux in Chinese GERD patients with heartburn symptoms.© 2016 Chinese Medical Association Shanghai Branch, Chinese Society of Gastroenterology, Renji Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

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