Pirenzepine and cimetidine in the treatment of peptic ulcer

In a randomized, controlled multicenter-study 126 patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer were treated with 100 mg Pirenzepine daily and 128 patients with 1000 mg Cimetidine daily. Endoscopic evaluation was done by an independent endoscopist after four weeks. At this time 64.3% of the Pirenzepine-treated patients and 73.4% of the patients on Cimetidine had the ulcer healed. The chi-square value of 2.48 indicates that the difference was not statistically significant, that Pirenzepine is equally or at least not essentially less effective than Cimetidine in the treatment of duodenal ulcer. Pain relief was good in both groups with a trend in favour of Cimetidine. Side effects were seldom, mild and reversible.