Healthcare

Previous trial has suggested that Baclofen oral (Arbaclofe placarbil, AP) had benefits for patients with gastrointestinal reflux disease (GERD), which is reduce its reflux.
However, this oral drug required frequent dose for the treatment.
Meanwhile, common side effect often seen from the frequent oral dose of baclofen; the drowsiness and somnolence, which is affect to an average of 2 per 3 of the user, making the researchers investigated the effectiveness of this treatment.

As a results, reported in the American Journal of Gastroenterology on April 26, 2011, the study authors said that baclofen oral showed had no benefits than placebo for patients with GERD.

Total of 156 patients with heartburn and/or regurgitation was involved in the study. Of 98 patients had responded to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) previously.
They assigned to 4 different dose of groups (20 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg AP daily, and two 30 mg doses daily) and placebo for 4 weeks.

According to the study authors, Dr. Nimish B. Vakil from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, and colleagues, they found no different results of heartburn or regurgitation in both baclofen and placebo groups. Except in patients who responded with PPIs previously that showed higher rate in the healing of heartburn symptoms.

Although this study found no benefits from the use of oral baclofen, and all have withdrawals due to similar adverse events between both of groups, but, the authors seen other potential benefits among PPIs users who may not satisfied with their treatment.
Based on this finding, additional therapy with oral baclofen may be beneficial for them, but need further study to prove the effectiveness and possible adverse events.