[Prolonged treatment of Zollinger-Ellison by cimetidine (author's transl)]

Abstract

Treatment of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome with cimetidine is justified by prior pharmacological studies; close survey of the patients is necessary, using clinical (endoscopic control of ulcer; diarrhea) and biological (BOA measurements and assessment of cimetidine efficiency) criteria. On the basis of 7 patients suffering from of chronic forms of ZES treated with cimetidine for periods varying from 56 to 570 days, a therapeutic scheme is suggested, allowing individual choices in the following problems:-possibility of gastrinoma complete excision, -advantages and disadvantages of cimetidine vs. total gastrectomy in respect to side-effects and acid secretion suppression, -variations in drug efficacy according to time (prolonged secretory inhibition, escape phenomenon).