Lansoprazole pushes the immune system to produce antibodies that can facilitate arthritis. The use of this widely used gastric protector, especially by people who use anti-inflammatory drugs, causes an increase in immunoglobulin G and M which in turn favor a type Th2 reaction and creates a predisposition for arthritis, among other diseases.>/p>

Italian version

When a patient has symptoms of a muscular (myalgia) and articular (arthritis) nature and therefore has pain in the osteoarticular apparatus, we must always ask him whether he is using antacids or gastric protectors because these medicines can be the very cause of the problem.

A recent Japanese study performed by researchers from the Rheumatology Department of the University of Tokyo (Matsukawa J et al, Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2007 Jan-Mar;20(1):173-9) brought to light an immunological problem that several Italian researchers had already identified in clinical studies.

The use of lansaprozole in the presence of Helicobacter Pylori (and thus the condition for which this drug is most indicated) causes an increase in Types G and M gamma globulin. This reaction results in a predisposition for a type Th2 response whereas a body infected by Helicobacter usually tends to develop type Th1 reactions.

It's not surprising that this study was performed in a Rheumatology Department because an alteration of this sort can surely facilitate the body's evolution towards an arthritic condition of an immunological-inflammatory origin.

One of the conditions in which there is the greatest probability of developing this type of reaction is that in which anti-inflammatory medicines (like FANS and Aspirin) are used at the same time. It would seem that these drugs multiply the immunological response that is induced by the proton pump inhibitor.

In my practical experience the cases of people who have developed severe arthritic or myalgic symptoms shortly after beginning treatment with lansaprazole are numerous.

When the treatment with this drug is suspended, there is a possible "recovery" from the arthritic symptoms within 48-72 hours; this result becomes yet another reason for reflecting on the uselessness of protracted treatments that are solely symptomatic.

Italian version