AIM: To compare symptom control with esomeprazole regimens for non-erosive reflux disease and chronic gastritis in patients with a negative endoscopy.METHODS: This randomized, open-label study was designed in line with clinical practice in China. Patients with typical reflux symptoms for ≥ 3 mo and a negative endoscopy who had a Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire score ≥ 8 were randomized to initial treatment with esomeprazole 20 mg once daily either for 8 wk or for 2 wk. Patients with symptom relief could enter another 24 wk of maintenance/on-demand treatment, where further courses of esomeprazole 20 mg once daily were given if symptoms recurred. The primary endpoint was the symptom control rate at week24 of the maintenance/on-demand treatment period.Secondary endpoints were symptom relief rate, success rate(defined as patients who had symptom relief after initial treatment and after 24 wk of maintenance treatment), time-to-first-relapse and satisfaction rate.RESULTS: Based on the data collected in the modified intention-to-treat population(MITT; patients in the ITT population with symptom relief after initial esomeprazole treatment, n = 262), the symptom control rate showed a small but statistically significant difference in favor of the 8-wk regimen(94.9% vs 87.3%, P = 0.0473).Among the secondary endpoints, based on the data collected in the ITT population(n = 305), the 8-wk group presented marginally better results in symptom relief after initial esomeprazole treatment(88.3% vs83.4%, P = 0.2513) and success rate over the whole study(83.8% vs 72.8%, P = 0.0258). The 8-wk regimen was found to provide a 46% reduction in risk of relapse vs the 2-wk regimen(HR = 0.543; 95%CI:0.388-0.761). In addition, fewer unscheduled visits and higher patient satisfaction supported the therapeutic benefits of the 8-wk regimen over the 2-wk regimen.Safety was comparable between the two groups, with both regimens being well tolerated.CONCLUSION: Chinese patients diagnosed with chronic gastritis achieved marginally better control of reflux symptoms with an 8-wk vs a 2-wk esomeprazole regimen, with a similar safety profile. AIM: To compare symptom control with esomeprazole regimens for non-erosive reflux disease and chronic gastritis in patients with a negative endoscopy. METHODS: This randomized, open-label study was designed in line with clinical practice in China. Patients with typical reflux symptoms for ≥ 3 mo and a negative endoscopy who had a Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire score ≥ 8 were randomized to initial treatment with esomeprazole 20 mg once daily either for 8 weeks or for 2 weeks. Patients with symptom relief could enter another 24 weeks of maintenance / on -demand treatment, where further courses of esomeprazole 20 mg once daily were given if symptoms recurred. The primary endpoint was the symptom control rate at week 24 of the maintenance / on-demand treatment period .Secondary endpoints were symptom relief rate, success rate (defined as patients who had symptom relief after initial treatment and after 24 wk of maintenance treatment), time-to-first-relapse and satisfaction rate.RESULTS: B ased on the data collected in the modified intention-to-treat population (MITT; patients in the ITT population with symptom relief after initial esomeprazole treatment, n = 262), the symptom control rate showed a small but statistically significant difference in favor of the 8-wk regimen (94.9% vs 87.3%, P = 0.0473) .Among the secondary endpoints, based on the data collected in the ITT population (n = 305), the 8-wk group presented marginally better results in symptom relief after initial The 8-wk regimen was found to provide a 46% reduction in risk of relapse (88.3% vs 83.4%, P = 0.2513) and success rate over the whole study (83.8% vs 72.8%, P = 0.0258) vs the 2-wk regimen (HR = 0.543; 95% CI: 0.388-0.761). Additions, fewer unscheduled visits and higher patient satisfaction supported the therapeutic benefits of the 8-wk regimen over the 2-wk regimen. between the two groups, with both regimens being well tolerated. CONCLUSION: Chinese patients diagno sedwith chronic gastritis achieved marginally better control of reflux symptoms with an 8-wk vs a 2-wk esomeprazole regimen, with similar safety profile.