Acute treatment of reflux oesophagitis: a multicentre study to compare 150 mg ranitidine twice daily with 300 mg ranitidine at bedtime.
A randomized, double-blind, clinical trial was undertaken to compare 150 mg ranitidine b.d. with 300 mg ranitidine nocte in the treatment of reflux oesophagitis. Endoscopy data were evaluable for 336 patients after 8 weeks of treatment. At this time 75% of patients who received 150 mg ranitidine b.d., and 73% of those who received 300 mg nocte, had healed or showed endoscopic improvement to grade I oesophagitis. At 12 weeks these rates had increased to 89 and 88%, respectively. Oesophageal biopsies from 258 patients at 8 weeks showed histological improvement in 44 and 47% of those treated with 150 mg ranitidine b.d. and 300 mg ranitidine nocte, respectively. After 12 weeks histological improvement was apparent in 57 and 54% of biopsies from each group, respectively. Symptom severity and frequency was reduced to a similar extent by both treatments. Adverse events were reported by 15 patients. A 300-mg bedtime dose of ranitidine was found to be a well-tolerated, effective alternative to twice daily treatment in reflux oesophagitis.
Halvorsen
L
L
Department of Gastroenterology, Central Hospital, Stavanger, Norway.
Lee
F I
FI
Wesdorp
I C
IC
Johnson
N J
NJ
Mills
J G
JG
Wood
J R
JR
D000328:Adult; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004942:Esophagitis, Peptic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011899:Ranitidine