The Role of Baclofen in the Treatment of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Abstract

Objective. To describe the evidence for baclofen in the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Data Sources. A search of PubMed and Google Scholar was performed using the terms baclofen, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and treatment. Study Selection and Data Extraction. Publications were reviewed manually for relevance, and studies that addressed the use of baclofen in the treatment of adult symptomatic GERD patients were included. Data Synthesis. Nine studies were evaluated. Baclofen was shown to significantly reduce transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESRs), postprandial acid reflux events, and median number of acid-related symptoms in 6 studies evaluating either a single dose of baclofen or short courses of 2 days or less. Three studies followed patients over a slightly longer period of time. These studies confirmed the results of the shorter trials by finding a decrease in supine duodenal reflux episodes, decreased periods when the pH was less than 4, and improvements in symptom scores in patients refractory to proton pump inhibitors. Side effects most frequently reported included drowsiness and dizziness. Conclusions. Baclofen can be considered for the treatment of refractory GERD following diagnostic evaluation. It has been shown to reduce TLESRs, reflux episodes, and reflux-related symptoms with minimal side effects in short-term trials. Future studies demonstrating the long-term efficacy and tolerability of baclofen in the treatment of GERD would help solidify its place in therapy.