Context
Asymptomatic gastroesophageal reflux (GER) is prevalent in children with asthma. It is not known whether treatment of GER with a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) improves asthma control.
Objective
To determine whether lansoprazole is effective in reducing asthma symptoms in children without overt GER.
Design, Setting, and Patients
A multicenter, randomized, masked, placebo controlled, parallel clinical trial comparing lansoprazole to placebo in children with poor asthma control on inhaled corticosteroid treatment conducted at 18 academic clinical centers. Participants were followed for 24 weeks. A subgroup had an esophageal pH study before randomization.
Intervention
Children received either lansoprazole (15 mg daily < 30 kg; 30 mg ≥ 30 kg) or placebo, 1:1 allocation ratio.
Main outcome
The primary outcome was the change in Asthma Control score (ACQ, range from 0 to 6). Secondary outcomes included lung function measures, asthma-related quality of life and acute episodes of poor asthma control.
Results
306 children were enrolled from April 2011 to August 2010, the median age was 11. The mean change (95% confidence interval (CI)) in the ACQ score was −0.1 (−0.2, 0.1) and −0.2 (−0.4, −0.1) units for the lansoprazole and placebo groups, respectively (P=0.12). There were no detectable treatment differences in secondary outcomes (mean (95% CI) for FEV1(0.00 (−0.08, 0.08)), asthma quality of life (−0.1 (−0.4, 0.1) or episodes of poor asthma control, hazard ratio of 1.18 (95% CI 0.91, 1.53). Among the 115 children with esophageal pH studies, the prevalence of GER was 43%. In the subgroup with a positive pH study, no treatment effect for lansoprazole versus placebo was observed for any asthma outcome. Children treated with lansoprazole reported more upper respiratory infections (63% vs 49%, P=0.02), sore throats (52% vs 39%, P=0.02), and bronchitis (7% vs 2%, P=0.05).
Conclusion
Among children with poorly controlled asthma without symptoms of GER who were using inhaled corticosteroids, the addition of lansoprazole, as compared to placebo, did not improve symptoms nor lung function but was associated with increased adverse events.