Long-term efficacy of on-demand vonoprazan treatment for mild reflux esophagitis: success rates and predictors of treatment failure

Concerns surrounding long-term proton pump inhibitor use have prompted the exploration of alternative treatments for reflux esophagitis (RE). We previously demonstrated that 24 weeks of on-demand treatment with vonoprazan, a potassium-competitive acid blocker, effectively managed mild RE (Los Angeles classification grade A/B) in more than 80% of patients. However, its long-term efficacy remains unknown. Therefore, the present study investigated sustained effectiveness.

We conducted a retrospective observational study on 30 participants with mild RE from our previous research. Participants with recurrent RE or symptom exacerbation were excluded and considered as treatment failure. Participants with the remission of RE and reflux symptoms under on-demand treatment until the clinic visit between October 2023 and February 2024 were regarded as treatment success. Predictors of treatment failure were analyzed.

During the observation period, 5 participants failed treatment due to symptom exacerbation and 6 due to recurrent RE. Five participants were excluded from analyses due to non-GERD causes. Fourteen participants (56.0%) successfully continued on-demand treatment for 91.5 months [89.3–92.8]. Age > 67 years significantly predicted treatment failure with a sensitivity of 72.7% and specificity of 85.7%. Although none of the patients with RE grade A had recurrent RE, it was not a significant difference.

Approximately 50% of patients with mild RE successfully continued on-demand treatment for more than 7 years. Age > 67 years was identified as a predictor of treatment failure. Prospective multi-center studies are warranted to validate these results.