Enprostil and cimetidine: comparative efficacy and safety in patients with duodenal ulcer

Abstract

The safety and efficacy of enprostil, 35 micrograms twice daily, and of cimetidine, 400 mg twice daily, in the treatment of duodenal ulcers were compared in a randomized, double-blind, parallel, multiclinic study. Endoscopy was performed before treatment and at 2-week intervals for 6 weeks or until the ulcer healed. Patients recorded their drug compliance, antacid use, ulcer symptoms, and adverse experiences daily. One hundred and six patients entered the trial, of which 104 were eligible for the initial endoscopy analysis. Base-line characteristics were similar in the two treatment groups. The cumulative healing rates in the enprostil group were 56%, 86%, and 92% at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, respectively, and those in the cimetidine group were 53%, 84%, and 90% (NS). The healing rates for nonsmokers at 6 weeks were 96% in the enprostil group and 97% in the cimetidine group, which were significantly greater than those for smokers--88% and 81%, respectively. There were no significant differences in the duration, severity, or frequency of daytime or nighttime pain between the groups. Seventeen of the enprostil patients (32%) reported 21 adverse experiences during the trial, and 20 of the cimetidine patients (39%) reported 23 adverse experiences. No patients withdrew because of adverse experiences. The two drugs were similarly safe and effective in the treatment of duodenal ulcer.