Efficiency of Rebamipide in the Prevention of Remnant Gastritis after Distal Gastrectomy

Abstract

Background/Aims :The role of rebamipide administration in reducing remnant gastritis after distal gastrectomy was studied.
Patients :Among patients with gastric cancer who underwent macroscopically curative distal gastrectomy with Roux-Y reconstruction in our department between July 1999 and September 2001, 22 subjects without particular complications were analyzed in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups. Eleven patients (Group A) were orally administered 300 mg/day of a gastroprotective agent, rebamipide (Mucosta) for 12 weeks starting at one week postoperatively. Treatment by administration of anti-acids or any agent possibly affecting the gastric mucosa or gastric emptying was prohibited in the other 11 patients (Group B).
Methods :All patients underwent endoscopic biopsy within 2 weeks before the operation and 13 weeks after the operation. Histological gastritis and IL-8 concentration in the gastric mucosa was also examined.
Results :The degree of neutrophil infiltration decreased after operation in both groups. The decrease was more remarkable in Group A than in Group B (p=0.02). IL-8 concentration in the gastric mucosa was reduced by administration of rebamipide, and its manifestation was significantly accelerated by H. pylori infection (p=0.03).
Conclusions :Administration of the gastroprotective agent, rebamipide appears to be histochemically effective in suppressing remnant gastritis after distal gastrectomy.