EFFECT OF CIMETIDINE ON GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS TAKING NONSTEROIDAL ANTIINFLAMMATORY DRUGS - A LARGE DOUBLE-BLIND PLACEBO-CONTROLLED STUDY

The effect of cimetidine on gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in patients taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs was studied in a multice ntre, double-blind, placebo-controlled 4 week trial. Five hundred and seventy osteoarthritis patients received cimetidine 400 mg bid or plac ebo. Seventy-nine % in the cimetidine group had no GI symptoms at week 4 compared to 72% in the placebo group (p = 0,07). Only 5,6% in the c imetidine group reported heartburn compared to 19,2% in the placebo gr oup. Diarrhoea was more pronounced in cimetidine treated patients; 18, 5% compared to 2,7%. In a subgroup of patients with previous GI discom fort on NSAID therapy (N = 123), 63% reported disappearance of symptom s in the cimetidine group compared to 45% in the placebo group (p = 0, 05). In patients with GI symptoms starting NSAID therapy and in patien ts on NSAID with a heartburn problem, cimetidine seems to be of value.