THE EFFECT OF CISAPRIDE AND RANITIDINE AS MONOTHERAPIES AND IN COMBINATION IN THE TREATMENT OF UNCOMPLICATED GASTRIC-ULCERATION

Background: Stimulation of gastric motility has been supposed to accel erate the healing of gastric ulcer. The combination of the prokinetic drug cisapride and the H-2 blocker ranitidine was tested in the treatm ent of uncomplicated gastric ulcer. Methods: Cisapride, 20 mg twice da ily (Cis), and ranitidine, 150 mg twice daily (Ran), were given as mon otherapies and in the combination 20 mg cisapride and 150 mg ranitidin e twice daily (Cis + Ran) for a maximum of 8 weeks. The study was mult icentre, randomized, and double-blind. Results: A total of 197 patient s were included. Healing rates in the per protocol analysis after 4 an d 8 weeks' treatment were 61%/84%, 52%/69%, and 61%/92% for the Cis Ran (n = 56), Cis (n = 58), and Ran (n = 59) treatment groups. No stat istically significant difference in healing rates was seen when compar ing Cis + Ran with the monotherapies. Symptom relief at the end of tre atment was significantly better in the Ran group than in the Cis + Ran group with regard to epigastric pain (p = 0.01) and vomiting (p = 0.0 5). Patients' global evaluation of treatment was in favour of Ran in c omparison with Cis + Ran treatment (p = 0.04). Conclusion: Combination of cisapride and ranitidine in the treatment of gastric ulcer did not enhance the healing rate or improve symptom relief in patients treate d for uncomplicated gastric ulcer when compared with the monotherapies .