title: Maintenance treatment with cimetidine in peptic ulcer disease for up to 4 years.
abstract: A multinational maintenance trial was conducted in 1842 peptic ulcer patients to investigate the efficacy and safety of continuous cimetidine maintenance therapy for up to 4 years. Patients with healed ulcers entered maintenance treatment with a 400-mg bedtime dose of cimetidine. Symptomatic ulcer relapse occurred in 17.2% of patients during the 1st year of treatment, in 9.6% during the 2nd year, and in 8.8% during the 3rd year. In addition to life-table analysis, the monthly prevalence of active ulceration over the 3-year period was examined. The average monthly prevalence rates were 2.1%, 1.8%, and 1.5% for the three successive yearly periods of continued cimetidine treatment. The adverse reactions observed in this study were not different from those previously reported with cimetidine. Moreover, there was a progressive decrease in the incidence of adverse events over the 4 years, thus establishing the long-term safety of continuous cimetidine treatment. It is concluded from this study that cimetidine maintenance treatment not only continues to be effective and safe beyond 1 year but also may reduce the risk of relapse over time.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bianchi-Porro
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hentschel
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Bardhan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delattre
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012306:Risk; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D002927:Cimetidine