RANITIDINE MULTICENTER STUDY ON SLOW-RESPONSE DUODENAL-ULCER PATIENTS

Twenty-six Italian Centers participated in the present study, the aim of which was to compare, in a double blind manner, the effectiveness o f ranitidine 150 mg b.i.d. and ranitidine 300 mg b.i.d. in duodenal ul cer patients, who were considered likely to be slow-responders on the basis of clinical and anamnestic criteria. The results of this study s how no statistically significant differences in healing rates between the two groups of patients treated with the different doses of ranitid ine. After 4 weeks of treatment, healing rates were 73.3 % for ranitid ine 150 mg b.i.d. (131 patients) and 76.1 % for ranitidine 300 mg b.i. d. (134) patients). After 8 weeks of treatment, cumulative healing rat es were 91.5 % and 93.9 %, respectively. There were no differences in the relief of symptoms. The percentage of ulcers healed after four wee ks of treatment with ranitidine 150 mg b.i.d. was lower than generally reported (1,2), probably reflecting the strict selection criteria. Ho wever, at least in this population, the higher dose, with its increase d inhibition of gastric acid secretion, failed to offer any significan t advantage. Other factors, not dealt with in this study, might help i dentify the slow-responder and the non-responder, as also those who wo uld benefit from an increased dose.