Controlled trial of maintenance cimetidine treatment in healed duodenal ulcer: short and long-term effects.

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Abstract
Patients (42) with endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer were studied in a double-blind trial after their ulcers were healed with cimetidine. Cimetidine was effective in preventing relapse; only 5 of the 20 patients allocated to cimetidine 400 mg twice daily relapsed during the 6 mo. treatment, compared with 16 of the 22 on placebo treatment (P < 0.01). Cimetidine was safe in the dosage and duration used; no symptomatic, hematological, or biochemical abnormalities occurred during the trial. Subsequent follow-up at the end of the trial when treatment was stopped showed that relapse was frequent, particularly in the cimetidine group, making the cumulative relapse rate 8 mo. after completion of the trial similar in the 2 groups (75% in the cimetidine group; 86% in the placebo group). Apparently maintenance cimetidine treatment must continued indefinitely in patients with duodenal ulcer. Until such treatment is shown to be safe and effective, surgical treatment remains a logical option for many patients.