Low dose maintenance treatment with cimetidine in duodenal ulcer: intermediate-term results.

Ulcer relapse rates during up to 2 years of prophylactic low-dose maintenance therapy (LDMT) with cimetidine 400 mg at bedtime was examined in 261 patients. Endoscopy was repeated every 6 months if asymptomatic, or whenever symptoms recurred. Relapse was defined as the recurrence of an ulcer crater or erosions or both. In patients with non-refractory duodenal ulcer (those healed within 3 months) who comprise the majority, their likelihood of relapse at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months was: symptomatic 8%, 13%, 18%, 20%; silent 14%, 28%, 38%, 43%, respectively. In contrast, in patients with refractory ulcer, their symptomatic relapse rates were 36%, 45%, 46%, 48%, and silent 28%, 38%, 46%, 48% respectively. The outcome of a second course of LDMT was similar to the first. Narrowing the definition of relapse to exclude recurrence of erosions alone but without an ulcer decreased asymptomatic relapse in non-refractory ulcer patients by about half. No patient had any major side effects. Thus, LDMT is a safe and effective way of keeping most patients with duodenal ulcer symptom free over 2 years.