Muscle Relaxant Eases GERD
April 18, 2003 — Millions of Americans who suffer from frequent heartburn caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may find relief from a drug commonly used to treat muscle spasms associated with multiple sclerosis. A new study shows long-term treatment with the drug Lioresal (baclofen) can reduce the number of acid reflux episodes in people with GERD and ease their dependence on antacids and other heartburn remedies.
Previous research has shown that a single dose of Lioresal can ease acid reflux for up to 12 hours, but this is the first time consistent treatment with the muscle relaxant has been studied over a longer period in people with and without GERD.
The study, published in the April issue of the journal Gut, examined the effects of taking 10 mg of the drug four times a day vs. a placebo in preventing the symptoms of acid reflux, such as bitter taste, belching, daytime and nighttime heartburn, and chest pain.
The first phase of the study compared the effects of the drug with placebo in people with GERD as well as healthy adults over 24 hours, and the second phase looked at the effectiveness of Lioresal over four weeks in GERD patients exclusively.
Researchers found the number of acid reflux episodes was reduced by 51% in GERD patients and by 57% in healthy people after the first 24 hours of treatment with the drug compared with placebo. And this reduction in acid reflux episodes grew to 76% after four weeks of treatment among people with GERD.
No significant change in the number of acid reflux episodes was found among people who took the placebo.
In addition, the study showed that other acid reflux-related symptoms improved among all the GERD patients that received Lioresal. No significant side effects were reported among people treated with GERD, except for two patients that interrupted their treatment after experiencing symptoms including low blood pressure and nighttime anxiety that were thought to be related to the drug.
Patients treated with Lioresal were also able to cut back on the number of antacid tablets they took to ease heartburn. The number of antacid tablets taken weekly by people with GERD dropped from eight to two during the course of the four-week study.
Researcher A.F. Ciccaglione of the University G d’Annunzio in Italy and colleagues say that the fact that beneficial effects of the drug were greater after four weeks of treatment than after one day merits further research. This effect may be due to higher levels of the drug circulating in the blood after continued treatment, and future studies should examine how this might affect kidney function.
