Taste Comparisons for Lansoprazole Strawberry-Flavoured Delayed-Release Orally Disintegrating Tablet and Ranitidine Peppermint-Flavoured Syrup in Children

Objective: To compare the flavour and taste preferences of two acid-inhibitory therapies in children.

Subjects and setting: 104 (52 male and 52 female) healthy children aged 6–11 years participated in this phase IV single-centre, taste-test study after parental consent was obtained.

Methods: Children were divided into two groups based upon age: group 1 included children aged 6–8 years and group 2 included children aged 9–11 years. Within each group an equal number of male and female subjects were recruited. Within each of the four strata defined by group and sex, an equal number of subjects were randomised to taste the strawberry-flavoured lansoprazole 15mg orally disintegrating tablet or the ranitidine 75mg/5mL peppermint-flavoured syrup samples in position 1. In group 1, the lansoprazole 15mg delayed-release orally disintegrating tablet was dispersed in 5mL of water, while in group 2, children gently rolled the tablet on the tongue until dissolution, before swallowing the particles. Children given the dose of lansoprazole dispersed in water (group 1) and the ranitidine dose (groups 1 and 2) were to taste it, swish it in their mouth for up to 10 seconds, and then swallow it. Children were given ambient temperature water and unsalted crackers to cleanse the palate during a 10-minute break between tastings.

Main outcome measures: After each tasting, children rated their degree of liking on a five-point facial hedonic scale (5 = like very much, 1 = dislike very much). Product preference was recorded after the tasting of both samples.

Results: Among group 1 and group 2 participants, 86.5% (45/52) and 90.4% (47/ 52) of children, respectively, ‘liked’ (‘like a little’ or ‘like very much’) the strawberry-flavoured lansoprazole orally disintegrating tablet. The proportion of children who ‘liked’ the peppermint-flavoured ranitidine syrup was lower than the proportion who liked lansoprazole, and the proportions were similar between the groups: 13.5% (7/52) in group 1 and 9.6% (5/52) in group 2. Children in both groups preferred the strawberry-flavoured lansoprazole delayed-release orally disintegrating tablet: 92% (95% CI 81.1, 97.8; p < 0.001) of those in group 1 and 98% (95% CI 89.7, 100.0; p < 0.001) of those in group 2.

Conclusion: After tasting both products, >92% of children aged from 6–11 years preferred the strawberry-flavoured lansoprazole delayed-release orally disintegrating tablet, either dissolved in a small amount of water or allowed to dissolve on the tongue, over the peppermint-flavoured ranitidine syrup.