Efficacy and Safety of Omeprazole for Severe Gastroesophageal Reflux in Children

In the 1993 study, omeprazole was found to be effective in treating severe gastroesophageal reflux in 15 children, aged 0.8 to 17 years, who did not respond to other treatments. The children were treated with omeprazole doses ranging from 0.7 to 3.3 mg/kg per day for 5.5 to 26 months. All patients showed improvement in symptoms and signs of esophagitis, and the drug was deemed safe for short-term use. However, elevated transaminase values were observed in 7 patients, and 11 experienced elevated fasting gastrin levels, with 6 having levels significantly above normal. The study concluded that omeprazole is effective for short-term use in children with severe esophagitis, but further research is needed to determine the long-term safety of the drug, especially concerning the potential effects of chronically elevated gastrin levels.