Rioprostil and ranitidine in the prevention of duodenal ulcer relapse

One hundred and ninety duodenal ulcer patients who had relief of pain and endoscopically proven ulcer healing after a short treatment period are allocated at random to double-blind maintenance treatment with a synthetic dehydroprostaglandin-E1, rioprostil, 300 micrograms, or ranitidine, 150 mg, at bedtime for 6 months. Patients are monitored every two months and examined by endoscopy after six months of treatment, or more often if warranted. The cumulative relapse rate in the rioprostil group at six months is 32% (25/78) vs. 28% (20/72) in the ranitidine group. This difference is not significant. The percentage of side effects observed is 17% in the rioprostil group vs. 5% in the ranitidine group, but discontinuation of treatment is observed with the same frequency in the two groups.