Antacids in the Treatment of Duodenal Ulcer

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Abstract
Fifty patients with endoscopically proven pyloric-prepyloric ulcers (PU/PPU) and 50 with duodenal ulcers (DU) completed a 6-wk double-blind clinical trial initially comprising 124 patients. The antacid-treated patients received 10 ml of an antacid suspension 7 times a day (buffering 367.5 mmol acid). Healing rate after 3 wk of treatment was 74% in the antacid and 42% in the placebo group (P < 0.01). After 6 wk the corresponding figures were 96 and 68% (P < 0.001). Regarding the PU/PPU and DU subgroups significant differences were found compared to placebo in the PU/PPU group only. Antacids caused a significantly faster and more perceptible pain relief than placebo. No significant correlation between ulcer healing and smoking habits was found. Regression analyses showed that, besides antacids, ulcer size and peak acid output influenced the healing rate significantly.