Seventy-one of 85 consecutive patients with endoscopically confirmed active benign
gastric ulcers completed an 8-week study to evaluate the effects on healing of
famotidine 40 mg given as a single dose at night. The healing rate in the 48 patients in whom the
ulcers were associated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory
drug (
NSAID) or
aspirin (ASA) use was compared with that in the 23 patients with idiopathic
ulcers. Endoscopy, symptom assessments,
antacid use, hematology, and serum chemistry were performed at weeks 4 and 8 of treatment.
Famotidine 40 mg at bedtime healed 63 (89%) of the 71
ulcers at 8 weeks; the healing rate for
NSAID/ASA-associated
ulcers was 46 (96%) of 48, which was significantly greater than that for idiopathic
ulcers (17 of 23; 74%) (P = 0.0119). Of the 54 patients who returned a questionnaire 1 to 2 years after completing the study, 20% were still taking an
NSAID/ASA (mainly for cardiovascular prophylaxis). About half of the patients surveyed were taking anti-
ulcer medication. None of these patients had experienced any serious
ulcer complication. The results of this study suggest that differentiating
NSAID/ASA-induced
ulcers from idiopathic
ulcers may be important with regard to healing rates and
duration of therapy.