Omeprazole versus ranitidine in the prevention of duodenal ulcer recurrence after eradication therapy

• Published in: Current therapeutic research Vol. 56; no. 6; pp. 568 - 572
• Main Authors: Figura, Natale, Minoli, Giorgio, Fedeli, Giuseppe, Cammarota, Giovanni, Mazzilli, Daniela, Bayeli, Pietro Francesco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Belle Mead, NJ EM Inc USA 01.06.1995; Excerpta medica
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Digestive system; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Human; Relapse; Spirillales; Duodenum; Spirillaceae; Antiulcer agent; Eradication; Prevention; Chemotherapy; Helicobacter pylori; Digestive diseases; Bacteria; Intestinal disease; Ulcer; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0011-393X; 1879-0313
• DOI: 10.1016/0011-393X(95)85048-1

Thirty-six patients with Helicobacter pylori infection and duodenal ulcer were given 20 mg of omeprazole once daily for 4 weeks, and 1 g of amoxicillin and 0.5 g of tinidazole twice daily for 14 days beginning in the third week of treatment. They were then randomized to treatment with 20 mg omeprazole once daily or 150 mg ranitidine once daily for 6 months to prevent ulcer relapse. Endoscopy was performed again at the end of antibiotic treatment (1 month), at 4 months, and at 7 months. Clearance and eradication of infection were obtained in 80.0% of patients at 1 month and 81.3% of patients at 4 months. Ulcers were healed in all patients. No relapse was observed 3 months after the end of therapy; after 6 months, 2 patients (both cured of infection) of 14 treated with omeprazole (14.3%) relapsed. None of the 13 patients who were given ranitidine relapsed ( P = 0.25, NS). No relapses were observed in the 5 patients still infected with H pylori 6 months after the end of therapy. In conclusion, no significant difference in efficacy was observed between omeprazole and ranitidine therapy in preventing relapse in patients whose H pylori infection had been eradicated with antibiotics.