Ilaprazole not inferior to rabeprazole in treatment of duodenal ulcer

The efficacy of ilaprazole 5 mg appears to be on a par with rabeprazole 10 mg in treating duodenal ulcer, a study has shown. In addition, there is a dose-effect relationship between 5- and 10-mg ilaprazole.

In this double-blind, parallel, randomized study, patients aged >18 years with at least one endoscopically confirmed active nonmalignant duodenal ulcer received either rabeprazole 10 mg or ilaprazole 5/10 mg for 4 weeks. Ulcer healing was characterized by resolution from active to scarring stage.

The investigators assessed symptoms relief using a graded score and evaluated the safety and tolerability of these study drugs based on clinical assessments.

In total, 390 patients completed the study. Duodenal ulcer was successfully healed in 75.38 percent of patients in the rabeprazole 10-mg group, 77.86 percent in the ilaprazole 5-mg group and 83.72 percent in the ilaprazole 10-mg group after 4 weeks of treatment.

The 4-week healing rate difference between rabeprazole 10 mg and ilaprazole 5 mg was 2.58 percent (95 percent CI, –7.79 percent to 12.74 percent), showing the noninferiority of the latter. In logistic regression analysis, ilaprazole 10 mg was superior to ilaprazole 5 mg at week 2 (odds ratio, 1.92, 1.02–3.59; p=0.04).

Eighty percent of patients became asymptomatic after treatment. All three drug groups showed comparable efficacy and safety profile at the dosages administered.

“Ilaprazole is a kind of benzimidazole proton-pump inhibitor, which was confirmed efficacious and safe in treatment of duodenal ulcer,” the investigators said.