RANITIDINE IN THE TREATMENT OF MILD-TO-MODERATE ESOPHAGEAL REFLUX - AMULTICENTER TRIAL

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind trial was conducted to evaluat e the efficacy of ranitidine 150 mg BID and ranitidine 300 mg BID in r elieving the symptoms of esophageal reflux and normalizing the endosco pic findings of 396 patients with 1-2 grade esophagitis according to S avary-Miller. No statistically significant differences were found betw een the two treatment groups in terms of healing after 4 and 8 weeks o f therapy. At 4 weeks, 59.9% of the patients in the ranitidine 150 mg BID group were healed, compared with 62.8% of those in the ranitidine 300 mg BID group. At 8 weeks, the percent of patients healed in the ra nitidine 150 mg BID and 300 mg BID groups was 86.4% and 89.5%, respect ively. In the short-term therapy of mild to moderate reflux esophagiti s, the standard 150 mg BID dose of ranitidine proved to be effective a nd sufficient for the relief of symptoms and healing of lesions.