LANSOPRAZOLE AND OMEPRAZOLE IN THE TREATMENT OF DUODENAL-ULCER - A MULTICENTRIC DOUBLE-BLIND COMPARATIVE TRIAL

The efficacy of lansoprazole (30 mg/d) and omeprazole (20 mg/d) has be en assessed in active duodenal ulcer disease in 144 patients included in a multicentric, randomized, double-blind trial. After two weeks, th e healing rates were 74 % and 58 % in the lansoprazole and omeprazole groups, respectively (P = 0.049). After 4 weeks, the healing rates wer e 94 % in each group (NS). The delay to pain relief was 2 days for lan soprazole and 3 days for omeprazole (NS). Minor side effects occurred in 12 % of the lansoprazole treated patients and in 13 % of the omepra zole treated patients. No severe adverse events were reported. A sligh t increase in serum gastrin level was observed, similar in both groups (+ 35 UI/L and + 19 UI/L for lansoprazole and omeprazole respectively ). This study confirms previous results concerning the efficacy of bot h treatments in duodenal ulcer disease, The statistical difference obs erved for healing rates after 2 weeks could correspond to a faster eff icacy for lansoprazole (30 mg) than for omeprazole (20 mg).