[Cimetidine and ranitidine in the treatment of reflux esophagitis]

The efficacy of the two H2-receptor-antagonists cimetidine (2 X 400 mg/die) and ranitidine (2 X 150 mg/die) for reflux oesophagitis was compared. 128 patients with endoscopically proven reflux oesophagitis in stages I and II based on the criteria of Savary and Miller took part in the trial on an out patients basis. Both drugs healed the oesophagus lesions in 70% of the patients after 6 weeks treatment. After 12 weeks, 90% of stage I patients and 80-85% of stage II patients were completely healed with both H2-antagonists. No significant difference was seen between the two drugs either with respect to the healing of the lesions or to the symptomatic improvement.