[Treatment of reflux esophagitis with ranitidine. A multicentric prospective study]

Thirty-eight patients with erosive-ulcerative reflux esophagitis were treated in an open trial with the histamine-H2-receptor antagonist ranitidine (150 mg twice daily). At endoscopy after 6 weeks there was evidence of complete healing of all epithelial defects in 20 of 38 patients (53%). Continuation of treatment for another 6 weeks in 13 patients was followed by healing in 6 additional patients as judged by endoscopy. Although the symptoms of the group as a whole improved significantly during treatment, there was no correlation between the degree of symptomatic improvement and healing of esophagitis. Also, the healing rate did not depend on age, sex, smoking and drinking habits or on the severity of esophagitis. It is concluded that medical treatment of reflux esophagitis with ranitidine is promising, even in severe cases previously considered candidates for surgery.