Prostacyclin in patients with peptic gastric ulcers--a placebo controlled study

A double-blind study on prostacyclin (5 ng/kg/min infused i.v. for 5 hrs per day during 6 consecutive days) for the treatment of peptic gastric ulcers was carried out in thirty patients (15 prostacyclin, 15 placebo). Gastroscopy and its scoring was performed 1-2 days before the treatment, as well as a day and a week after the course of treatment was completed. Basal acid output (BAO) and pentagastrin stimulated release of gastric acid (maximum acid output MAO; peak acid output PAO) were measured before the treatment, during the third infusion, and one day after all the infusions had been completed. At the same time the basal release of bicarbonate into gastric juice was determined. Prostacyclin significantly accelerated healing of the ulcers at the end point of the study. Simultaneously, in the prostacyclin-treated patients an increase in bicarbonate release into gastric juice was noted, although the acidity of gastric juice was not changed. Our study shows a cytoprotective action of prostacyclin on a damaged human gastric mucosa.