Cimetidine in the treatment of duodenal ulcer

In a double-blind trial performed in two centres, 67 outpatients with endoscopically confirmed duodenal (55) or pyloric canal (12) ulcers received cimetidine (34 patients) or placebo (33 patients) for six weeks. At 6 weeks complete healing of ulcers was significantly increased in patients receiving cimetidine (82%) compared with those receiving placebo (39%) (chi2=11-27; P less than 0-0008). Patients receiving cimetidine had significantly less daytime pain and required less antacid than those receiving placebo. Gastric acid secretion measured one week after cessation of treatment demonstrated that there was no rebound hypersecretion of acid in patients who had received cimetidine. The pretrial basal acid output of those patients whose ulcers failed to heal during cimetidine therapy was significantly greater than that of those whose ulcers healed during treatment with the drug (P less than 0-001). No side effects were encountered.