Ranitidine, cimetidine and antacids in the prevention of recurrence after healed duodenal ulcer: one-year experience.
A total of 110 subjects with duodenal ulcer healed with cimetidine (C) (50 patients), ranitidine (R) (40 patients) or pirenzepine (20 patients) was randomly divided in 3 groups. The first group (40 patients) was treated with R (150 mg nightly); the second group (40 patients) with C (400 mg nightly) and the third group with antacids as needed for symptomatic relief. The presence of the ulcer and its healing were established by endoscopy, which was repeated after 6 and 12 months of treatment, or previously if symptoms suggested recurrence. At the end of the year's follow-up, no recurrence of ulcers was observed in 75% of the R group, in 77.5% of the C group and in 40% of the antacids group. Some erosive duodenitis developed in the first and second groups (17.5% and 20% respectively), but none in the antacids group. Most of the ulcers that recurred did so in the first 6 months of treatment. No relevant side-effects were observed with the treatments described. Although no significant difference was detected between C and R treatments, both appeared to be clearly more effective than antacids. The usefulness of adequate prophylactic treatment against the tendency of duodenal ulcer to recur is stressed.
D000863:Antacids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence
D000863:Antacids; D002927:Cimetidine; D011899:Ranitidine