Assessing the efficacy of famotidine and rebamipide in the treatment of gastric mucosal lesions in patients receiving long-term NSAID therapy (FORCE--famotidine or rebamipide in comparison by endoscopy).
BACKGROUND
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and Helicobacter pylori infection are major causes of gastric mucosal lesions. In Japan, histamine-2 receptor antagonists are frequently prescribed, but the literature regarding their efficacy is limited. In this study, we compare the effects of famotidine and rebamipide on NSAID-associated gastric mucosal lesions using upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.


METHODS
This study examined 112 patients taking NSAIDs for either gastric hemorrhage or erosion. Before treatment, the patients were assessed by endoscopy. Using blind randomization, patients were divided into two groups: group F (famotidine, 20 mg/day) and group R (rebamipide, 300 mg/day). Efficacy was examined 4 weeks later using endoscopy.


RESULTS
After treatment, the Lanza score decreased significantly in group F (P < 0.001) but not in group R (P = 0.478). The change in the Lanza score in group F was significantly greater (P = 0.002) than that in group R.


CONCLUSIONS
Famotidine was superior to rebamipide in treating NSAID-associated mucosal lesions.
Yamao
Jun-ichi
J
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Nara Medical University, 840 Shijocho, Kashihara 634-8512, Japan.
Kikuchi
Eiryo
E
Matsumoto
Masami
M
Nakayama
Masaki
M
Ann
Tatsuichi
T
Kojima
Hideyuki
H
Mitoro
Akira
A
Yoshida
Motoyuki
M
Yoshikawa
Masaaki
M
Yajima
Hiroshi
H
Miyauchi
Yoshizumi
Y
Ono
Hiroshi
H
Akiyama
Koichi
K
Sakurai
Goro
G
Kinoshita
Yoshikazu
Y
Haruma
Ken
K
Takakura
Yoshinori
Y
Fukui
Hiroshi
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000409:Alanine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016099:Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; D015738:Famotidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010438:Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy; D015363:Quinolones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D015363:Quinolones; D015738:Famotidine; C052785:rebamipide; D000409:Alanine