GASTRIC-ULCER HEALING AND BASIC FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTOR - EFFECTS OFLANSOPRAZOLE AND FAMOTIDINE

We examined the effects of lansoprazole and famotidine on gastric basi c fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) levels and ulcer healing in patients with gastric ulcer. Sixteen patients with active gastric ulcer were d ivided into two groups and received treatment with lansoprazole 30 mg/ day or famotidine 40 mg/day. They were examined endoscopically at 2, 4 , and 8 weeks to measure gastric bFGF levels at the ulcer margin and t o assess ulcer healing. Helicobacter pylori infection was determined b y a rapid urease test. The two groups were comparable with regard to a ge, male:female ratio, H. pylori infection rates, and bFGF levels. Dur ing treatment, bFGF levels did not change significantly in the famotid ine group, whereas they increased by a factor of 2.2 to 2.6 in the lan soprazole group. Cumulative healing rates were also significantly lowe r in the famotidine group than in the lansoprazole group. These result s indicate that lansoprazole increases tissue bFGF levels and promotes gastric ulcer healing in humans.