Relapse rates of duodenal ulcer healed with concentrated antacid or cimetidine

The incidence of duodenal ulcer relapse after initial therapy with concentrated aluminium-magnesium hydroxide (Maalox 70) or cimetidine (Tagamet) was investigated in a one-year follow-up study. 92.3% (24 out of 26) of the antacid patients and 76.2% (16 out of 21) of the cimetidine patients relapsed. The difference is not statistically significant. With respect to the pattern of onset of relapses, no difference was seen between the two groups. 33% of the recurrent lesions following treatment with antacids and 25% of those following cimetidine therapy were asymptomatic. This difference too is not significant. The results permit the conclusion that the mode of pharmaceutical therapy of ulcers (buffering of gastric acid by way of an antacid or inhibition of acid secretion by an H2-blocker) has no bearing on the further course of the ulcer disease.