Nizatidine versus ranitidine in gastric ulcer disease. A European multicentre trial

Two hundred and seventy five patients from six countries were randomized into an endoscopically controlled, eight-week, double-blind, study. The objective of this investigation was to compare the efficacy and safety of nizatidine, administered as either a single (300 mg nocte) or twice daily (150 mg B.D.) dose, with ranitidine 150 mg twice daily, in the therapy of benign gastric ulceration. Two hundred and fifty-two patients fulfilled entry criteria and completed the protocol (80 nizatidine 150 mg B.D.; 89 nizatidine 300 mg nocte; 83 ranitidine 150 mg B.D.). Endoscopy was performed on entry and at four-week intervals until the ulcer healed. The diagnosis of benign ulceration was always supported by endoscopic histology and/or cytology. On entry into the study, both groups appeared well matched (i.e. for population demographics, duodenal ulcer history, previous therapy and pre-study symptomatology), except for epigastric day pain which was significantly less in the ranitidine group (p = 0.020). Overall gastric ulcer healing rates were similar in the three groups at four weeks (nizatidine B.D. 66.2%: nizatidine nocte 65.2%: ranitidine B.D. 63%) and at eight weeks (nizatidine B.D. 90%: nizatidine nocte 86.5%: ranitidine B.D. 86.7%). Healing was not consistently influenced by country of origin or smoking. After four weeks of therapy, 66% (nocte dose) to 68% (B.D. dose) of nizatidine treated patients were symptom free, while 93% (nocte dose) to 95% (B.D. dose) were free of night pain. Events were similar in the three treatment groups, and the majority were gastro-intestinal.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)