Pirenzepine in long-term therapy for duodenal ulcer

A total of 60 patients with endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer were treated with pirenzepine or cimetidine for 8-10 weeks until endoscopic healing of the ulcer. After ulcer healing 20 random patients received 50 mg pirenzepine per os daily for 6 months, 20 received 400 mg cimetidine per os daily for 6 months, and the remaining 20 received topic antacids for 6 months whenever they complained of pyrosis and/or epigastric pain. Endoscopic checks were repeated after 6 months (or earlier, if clinical picture was consistent with relapsing ulcer). Relapsing duodenal ulcer or erosive duodenitis was observed in 5 patients treated with pirenzepine (25%), in 4 patients treated with cimetidine (20%), and in 13 patients treated with occasional antacids (65%). Differences were significant between the antacid-treated patients and each of the other two groups, but not significant between pirenzepine-treated and cimetidine-treated groups.