OBJECTIVE: Two studies have reported results comparing esomeprazole 40mg and lansoprazole 30mg in the healing of reflux oesophagitis. The two studies come to different conclusions. One study shows superiority for esomeprazole at four and eight weeks while the other claims equivalence. The aim of this work was to combine the results of the 2 studies by meta-analysis to ascertain if there is a difference in healing rates with esomeprazole 40mg and lansoprazole 30mg. METHODS: Meta-analysis of intention-to-treat (ITT) endoscopic healing rates at four and eight weeks. If the healing rates were not presented in an ITT format they were recalculated. ITT was defined as "patients being analysed in the treatment arm that they entered at randomisation, regardless of whether they dropped-out, received the incorrect treatment or withdrew before completion of the trial". RESULTS: At 4 weeks, esomeprazole 40mg is significantly more effective than lansoprazole 30mg in the healing of reflux oesophagitis (Relative Risk 1.05; 95% CI 1.02-1.09). Similarly, at 8 weeks esomeprazole 40mg is significantly more effective than lansoprazole 30mg (Relative Risk 1.04; 95% CI 1.01-1.06). A chi-squared test was carried out to investigate possible heterogeneity. Significant heterogeneity was not detected at four or eight weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Esomeprazole 40mg is significantly more effective than lansoprazole 30mg in the healing of reflux oesophagitis at 4 and 8 weeks.