Endoscopically controlled trial of alginate and antacid in reflux oesophagitis.

A double-blind crossover trial of Gaviscon (alginate/alginic acid plus antacid) versus standard antacid is reported in 20 patients with symptomatic hiatus hernia. Gaviscon was well tolerated but clinical improvement was equally good with antacid in this short-term (six-week study). At the beginning, endoscopic evidence of erosions or "oesophagitis" was common (in 12 of the 20 subjects). Oesophagoscopic evidence of improvement was seen in 50% of patients with both types of medication over a three-week period, compared with subjective improvement in 84%. Long-term studies are necessary to establish the natural history of peptic lesions of the oesophagus and their treatment, whether conservative or surgical.