Gastrolaryn® Stick Following Proton Pump Inhibitor Treatment in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Multicenter Real-World Observational Survey

Background: Symptom management after proton pump inhibitor (PPI) treatment remains an important issue in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Objective: To describe symptom distributions during a sequential PPI and Gastrolaryn® Stick management pathway in routine outpatient practice. Methods: In a multicenter, prospective observational survey, 263 GERD patient records were collected at baseline (T0) by 17 gastroenterologists. The intended management sequence comprised 8 weeks of esomeprazole 40 mg daily (T0–T1) followed by 8 weeks of Gastrolaryn® Stick (one stick twice daily; T1–T2). Outcomes included GERD Impact Scale (GIS) response distributions and routine-care characteristics. Analyses were descriptive and based on available records at each survey timepoint. Results: Records were available for 124 patients at T1 (47.1% of baseline) and 112 at T2 (42.6%). Across recorded GIS item responses, the proportion rated “every day” was 12.8%, 0.9%, and 0.3% at T0, T1, and T2, respectively; the corresponding “never” proportions were 24.8%, 44.5%, and 58.4%. These are unpaired, timepoint-specific descriptive summaries and do not establish individual improvement. Investigators submitting records declined from 17 to 11 and 7. Conclusions: Among available records, symptom-frequency distributions were more favorable at later survey timepoints. Substantial missing follow-up, changing site participation, the lack of a comparator and unavailable patient-level paired analyses prevent causal attribution, assessment of relapse prevention, or definitive conclusions about maintenance effectiveness. The survey nevertheless documents management and follow-up patterns encountered in routine practice.