Issn Print: 1075-2765

Publication Date: 1995/12/01


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ONCE-DAILY BEDTIME DOSE OF ROXATIDINE AND RANITIDINE IN ACUTE DUODENAL ULCER: A COMBINED ASSESSMENT OF ACID INHIBITORY ACTIVITY AND HEALING RATE

Vincenzo Savarino; Giuseppe Sandro Mela; Patrizia Zentilin; Maria Raffaella Mele; Sergio Vigneri; Rosanna Termini; Francesco Di Mario; Marina Ferrana; Alberto Malesci; Monica Belicchi

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Author Information: Dipartimento di Medicina Interna, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy.

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Abstract

Results

Eight patients did not complete the study, leaving 55 patients eligible for final analysis, 28 in the roxatidine group and 27 in the ranitidine group. Duodenal ulcers were healed in 24/28 (85%) patients of the former and in 22/27 (81%) patients of the latter group (p = NS). Gastric pH was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than basal values on days 1 and 28 with both H2-antagonists. The 24-h pH levels did not differ between day 1 and day 28 with both roxatidine and ranitidine. There was also no difference between the two active treatments. The pattern of gastric acidity significantly differed (p < 0.01) between responder (n = 46) and nonresponder (n = 9) patients to both H2-blockers, and this difference was mainly sustained by nocturnal pH.

Conclusions

A bedtime dose of roxatidine 150 mg and ranitidine 300 mg was able to heal more than 80% of duodenal ulcers within 4 weeks of treatment. The lack of tolerance to H2-blockers in duodenal ulcer patients contributes to this good result. The antisecretory effect of H2-antagonists is reduced in nonresponder patients with respect to responder patients and this is mainly due to an impaired control of nocturnal acidity.

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