Objectives: It is our experience that many patients treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPI) b.i.d. recover acid secretion during the night. Our aim was to assess the efficacy of omeprazole and lansoprazole b.i.d. on nocturnal gastric acidity.
Methods: Three groups were studied with intragastric pH monitoring. Group 1 consisted of 17 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) taking omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d. Group 2 was 16 male volunteers taking omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d. and Group 3 comprised 12 volunteers taking lansoprazole 30 mg b.i.d.
Results: The percentages of time that subjects had pH < 4 were lower during supine than upright periods in Groups 1 and 3 (P < 0.01). Recovery of nocturnal acid secretion lasting > 1 h, termed acid breakthrough, occurred in three-fourths of all individuals within 12 h from intake of the evening dose of PPI. Median time to acid breakthrough for the whole group was 7.5 h.
Conclusion: Nocturnal acid breakthrough occurs in a majority of patients and normal volunteers taking PPI b.i.d.