Quality of life in duodenal ulcer treatment: A comparison of omeprazole and ranitidine in acute and intermittent treatment

Abstract

This study aimed to compare omeprazole 20 mg each morning and ranitidine 300 mg at 6 pm in the acute treatment of duodenal ulcer and during 12-month's follow-up with intermittent on-demand treatment. Symptomatic relapse was treated with the same drug as initial treatment for two or, if needed, four, or eight weeks. The study was randomized and double-blind. Changes in quality of life and healing rale were the criteria of outcome. Disease specific symptoms were evaluated with the Ulcer Esophagitis Subjective Symptoms Scale (UESS) and the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS), general body symptoms with the Complaint Score (CS) and general wellbeing with the Psychological General Wellbeing Index (PGWB). In the healing part of up to four weeks of treatment, 393 patients were included. Pre-treatment mean quality of life scores were low but rose to significantly higher values in both groups after two weeks' treatment and during follow-up. No between-groups differences were found. Healing at two weeks was significantly better in the omeprazole group, 67% versus 57% in the ranitidine group (p = 0.05). A total of 353 patients entered the follow-up study. No statistically significant difference in relapse rate was noted. Omeprazole 20 mg o. d (in the morning) is superior to ranitidine 300 mg o. d. (6 pm) in two-week duodenal ulcer healing rate, but patients' quality of life, which was low before diagnosis, normalized with both treatment regimens.