Pain and quality of life in patients with acute duodenal ulcer treated with ranitidine.
BACKGROUND
The various components of pain and quality of life in duodenal ulcer patients receiving antisecretory drugs have not been studied to date.


METHODS
Ninety-five patients with epigastric pain and duodenal ulcer at endoscopy completed this prospective, multicenter, open-study. All were treated with effervescent ranitidine 300 mg daily for 4 weeks. The following parameters were assessed: (a) disappearance of duodenal ulcer pain by self-evaluation and on a weekly visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 to 100; (b) evolution of sensory and affective components of ulcer pain by the Validated French Version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (Questionnaire Douleur de Saint-Antoine, QDSA); (c) quality of life by the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) which includes six criteria: pain, mobility, energy, emotions, sleep and social isolation.


RESULTS
Forty-nine, 66 and 87% of the patients were pain-free during the day-time after 7, 14 and 28 days, respectively. Corresponding figures for the night-time were 80%, 88% and 97% respectively. Median time to disappearance of ulcer pain was 8 days. VAS self-assessment showed a significant decrease each week throughout the treatment period (P = 0.001). Sensory and affective QDSA scores were significantly improved after the second day and at each assessment during the 28 days of treatment (P = 0.001). Physical as well as affective aspects of quality of life were significantly improved after 28 days for each of the six criteria explored (P = 0.001). The duodenal ulcer healing rate was 86% after 4 weeks of treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Using complementary scales measuring different aspects of ulcer pain, sensory and affective components improved significantly from the second day of treatment with ranitidine 300 mg. A significant improvement in quality of life is observed after a 4-week treatment. QDSA and NHP appear to be useful evaluation tools of duodenal ulcer pain and quality of life.
Hôpital de l'Archet, Nice, France.
P
P
Rampal
P
P
Ruszniewski
F
F
Boureau
A
A
Richard
A
A
Slama
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain; D011788:Quality of Life; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D011899:Ranitidine