CIMETIDINE SUSPENSION AS ADJUVANT TO ENERGY RESTRICTED DIET IN TREATING OBESITY

Objective-To study the effect of cimetidine suspension compared with p lacebo suspension on weight loss in moderately obese patients taking a 5 MJ/day diet supplemented with dietary fibre. To determine the relat ion between the effectiveness of the blinding and weight loss. Design- Randomised double blind study with an eight week parallel group phase and a subsequent eight week crossover or continuation phase. Setting-O utpatient clinic. Subjects-60 patients (51 women) aged 18-60. Main out come measure-Weight loss. Results-After eight weeks of treatment the m ean weight loss in the cimetidine group (5.7 kg) was similar to that o f the placebo group (5.9 kg; p=0.78, 95% confidence interval -2.0 to 1 .5 kg). Body mass index, waist and hip measurements, waist-hip ratio, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased similarly in the two groups. No association was found between weight loss and the patie nts' ability to guess if they were being given drug or placebo. Correc t guesses of current drug were more prevalent than expected by chance (25/37 correct, p=0.05 for the parallel group phase; 26/30, p=0.0001 f or the crossover phase). Conclusions-Cimetidine had no effect on weigh t loss in moderately obese patients. The study underlines the potentia l problem that blinding of patients to treatment can be compromised.