Background: The optimal duration of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) use in the treatment of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD)-induced ulcers has not been well defined.
Aims: The aim of study was to determine the optimal duration of PPI treatment for ESD-induced gastric ulcers.
Methods: A total of 333 patients who underwent ESD were included in this retrospective analysis and prospective randomized validation. Medical records and endoscopic images for the 221 patients in our ESD-database were reviewed retrospectively. Based on the results of the retrospective analysis, 112 patients with ESD-induced ulcers over 40 mm were randomly assigned to two groups (4- or 8-week course of Lansoprazole 30 mg). Main outcome measurements were to assess the healing-related factors of post-ESD ulcers (retrospective analysis) and to compare complete mucosal healing rate in large (≥ 40 mm) ESD-induced ulcers according to the duration of PPI treatment (prospective validation).
Results: Multivariate logistic regression from a retrospective analysis showed that a duration of PPI treatment <8 weeks and a post-ESD ulcer ≥ 40 mm in size were associated with incomplete healing. In a prospective validation, the rate of complete healing in the 8-week PPI group was significantly higher than that of the 4-week PPI group for a large (≥ 40 mm) ESD-induced ulcer at 8 weeks follow-up (83.3 vs. 42.6%, P < 0.01).
Conclusions: The optimal duration of PPI treatment varies based on the initial ulcer size. Patients with an ESD-induced ulcer over 40 mm should be treated with an 8-week course of PPIs.