The effect of cimetidine on serum acidic markers and Helicobacter pylori in gastric ulcer subjects.
BACKGROUND
This study was conducted to investigate the influence of cimetidine on the Helicobacter [correction of Helilcobacter] pylori(HP) colonization and serum acidic markers in gastric ulcer patients.


METHODS
Forty-eight patients with gastric ulcer confirmed by endoscopy were consecutively enrolled. HP colonization was confirmed by either urease test or histological examination. Fasting serum gastrin and pepsinogen I (PGI) levels were measured before and after 8 weeks of cimetidine treatment.


RESULTS
Healing of ulcer at the end of treatment was 75%. Initially, the infection rate of HP was 87.5% (42/48). After 8 weeks of treatment, HP clearance rate was only 7.1% (3/42). A significant elevation of serum gastrin level was seen in HP positive subjects after treatment (86.3 +/- 22.2 pg/ml vs. 103.1 +/- 44.36 pg/ml, p <0.05) while HP negative patients did not show the effect. There was no significant change in the mean serum PGI concentration before and after cimetidine treatment (91.5 +/- 36.6 ng/ml vs. 95.6 +/- 43.8 ng/ml, NS).


CONCLUSIONS
Cimetidine is not able to clear HP despite its good efficacy in healing gastric ulcers. HP should play an important role in the elevation of serum gastrin levels during cimetidine therapy while serum PGI levels are not influenced by the antisecretory ability of cimetidine.
Lee
C T
CT
Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Veterans General Hospital-Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Chang
F Y
FY
Lee
S D
SD
D000368:Aged; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002927:Cimetidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects*; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D005755:Gastrins; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D002927:Cimetidine