title: A combined regimen for the prophylaxis of Curling's ulcer.
abstract: After severe thermal injury, acute gastroduodenal mucosal lesions occur in up to 80 per cent of patients. Prior to prophylactic antacid therapy, one-third of these lesions progressed to ulceration, which frequently resulted in major life-threatening hemorrhage. Antacid treatment regimens have dramatically reduced this complication. However, the incidence of occult complications that result in increased morbidity has remained unchanged. We evaluated prospectively a combined treatment regimen using antacid, an H2-receptor antagonist, and enteral feeding in 60 patients who had serious burns (mean burn size, 36% body surface area) in this series. The incidence of both overt and occult complications was 3 per cent and in no patient did a perforation develop nor was operative intervention required. No patient died of the complications of Curling's ulcer. Combination therapy may be of value in other patients prone to stress ulceration.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000863:Antacids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D000863:Antacids; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists