[Short-term therapy of duodenal ulcer with omeprazole and ranitidine. Results of a German multicenter study].

In a randomized, endoscopically controlled double-blind trial the effectiveness of a single oral, morning dose of 40 mg omeprazole was compared with a twice daily oral dose of 150 mg ranitidine given to 334 ambulatory patients with duodenal ulcers. Under omeprazole 105 of 146 duodenal ulcers were demonstrated to have healed within 14 days (72%), compared with 95 of 160 (59%) on ranitidine. The difference is statistically significant (P = 0.0121). After 14 days smaller ulcers healed more quickly than large ones, regardless of the drug used: 80 of 110 with diameter 3-5 mm (73%); 48 of 90 with diameter more than 8 mm (53%). Smoking delayed healing [healing rate among non-smokers, 87 of 117 (74%); among smokers, 113 of 189 (60%)]. Healing rates among smokers receiving omeprazole and non-smokers receiving ranitidine were nearly identical. After 4 weeks, at 96 and 92% respectively, there was no difference in regard to healing rate. Both drugs had a similar influence on the symptoms. Thus, for the first time it has been demonstrated that omeprazole is superior to ranitidine after 14-day treatment of duodenal ulcer.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes