Clinical Outcomes and Adverse Effects of Long-Term Pantoprazole Therapy in Patients with GERD

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18829338

Abstract

Introduction: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a persistent illness that is often treated with proton pump inhibitors in the long run. Pantoprazole is used extensively as an effective, safe therapy, but there are still worries about the adverse effects of long-term treatment. The goal of this study was to compare clinical outcomes and adverse experiences of protracted pantoprazole treatment in the GERD patients.

Methodology: The study was a prospective observational cohort study that was carried out during a period of twelve months. Two hundred and twenty patients who had received at least six months of pantoprazole therapy were recruited with 208 of the patients following the regimen. Symptom scores and endoscopic findings when applicable were used to measure the clinical outcomes. Laboratory indices such as serum magnesium, vitamin B12 and creatinine were assessed at the baseline and after six months. Paired t-test, Chi-square test, and multivariate logistic regression were utilized and p ≤  0.05 was regarded as statistically significant.

Results: The mean GERD symptom score was significantly reduced (7.8 ± 1.6 to 2.9 ± 1.3, p < 0.001) and 80.8% of patients had sustained symptom control. The recovery was observed on the mucosal in 80.4 percent of patients considered. All in all, 27.9% had developed one or more adverse effects, most of which were hypomagnesemia (11.5%), and vitamin B12 deficiency (9.1%). The independent predictors of adverse effect were: therapy duration more than 12 months (AOR 2.41, p = 0.004), and age more than 50 years (AOR 1.89, p = 0.041).

Conclusion: Pantoprazole proved to be an effective long term symptom controlling treatment on GERD but long term treatment had some quantifiable side effects and must be closely monitored and reassessed periodically.