Clinical efficacy of pantoprazole compared with ranitidine

The clinical efficacy of the proton pump inhibitor pantoprazole has been compared with ranitidine in a number of clinical studies in patients with either duodenal or gastric ulcer(s) or gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. A pooled analysis of five comparative trials in duodenal ulcer patients showed that healing rates with pantoprazole (40 mg/day) were significantly better than for ranitidine (300 mg/day) at both 2 (P < 0.001) and 4 weeks (P < 0.001). Data from case report forms in one of the studies showed that the improvement in pain relief at 2 weeks was also greater in patients receiving pantoprazole (80%) than in those receiving ranitidine (61%). The healing rates for the treatment of gastric ulcer were significantly higher for pantoprazole than for ranitidine (at 4 and 8 weeks; both P < 0.001), in an analysis of two comparative studies. The pooled pain relief values for pantoprazole and ranitidine did not differ significantly. With gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, the pooled results from two comparative studies showed that pantoprazole (40 mg/day and 80 mg/day) was superior to ranitidine (150 mg twice daily) in healing. In conclusion, pantoprazole, compared to ranitidine, quickens healing and symptom relief in gastroduodenal ulcers, and in reflux oesophagitis it also improves the rate of healing.