Efficacy of Gaviscon-Advance® in Suppressing Post-supper Acid-pocket and Night-time Acid-reflux in Obese Participants

Overview

A randomized, open-label study with antacid-control will be performed over 48 hours period by continuous pH impedance and bravo capsule monitoring. Asymptomatic obese patients will be separated into either groups according to alginate antacid group \[Gaviscon Advance (GA)®, Reckitt Benckiser, UK\] and non antacid alginate group \[simple antacid\]. Both groups will be studied for 48 hours using the ambulatory wireless capsule and pH impedance. Participants according to their group will take either alginate antcid \[Gaviscon Advance (GA)®, Reckitt Benckiser, UK\] or non alginate antacid \[simple antacid\] which has equivalent strength of antacid after taking late night standardised meals.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) with symptoms of heartburn and acid regurgitation is a common disorder especially in overweight and obese persons who are at increased risk for GERD. Late night supper, an usual eating habit in many parts of the world, may worsen GERD and especially so among the obese, and this may be due to increased reflux from acid pocket. Acid pocket in the proximal part of stomach after meals has been shown to be an important mechanism of GERD. The acid pocket is increasingly recognized as a source from which acid reflux events originate. To what extent changes in acidity of the acid pocket contribute to the therapeutic effect of alginate antacid formulation is inconsistent. The other findings suggested that the main mechanism of action for the alginate-antacid combination is to displace the post-prandial acid pocket rather than mechanically containing it. Therefore, the outcomes of the study will allow us to determine whether late night supper worsen acid pocket, night time reflux and symptoms and whether an alginate antacid preparation (Gaviscon Advance®) is useful in suppression of acid pocket, night time refluxes and symptom (s). A benefit is that this study may inform doctors and advise participants of GERD side-effects of late night supper and how Gaviscon Advance may help.