7. The Management of Asymptomatic Duodenal Ulcers Detected during Maintenance Treatment with Ranitidine

Abstract

During a retrospective analysis of 388 patients with duodenal ulcer disease who were receiving long-term maintenance treatment with ranitidine, 57 patients were found at routine endoscopy to have developed asymptomatic duodenal ulcers. Of 57 patients 28 received no alteration in treatment (group A), whereas 29 patients had the ranitidine dose increased at the time of asymptomatic ulcer. The two groups were well matched with regard to demographic features. Survival analysis showed that in the year after the development of asymptomatic ulcer, 96.1 % of patients in group A and 95.8% of patients in group B remained free from symptomatic recurrence of ulcer. This similarity between the two groups continued during 5 years of follow-up study. Only one patient developed haemorrhage, and there were no cases of perforation after asymptomatic ulcers. Asymptomatic ulcers occurring during maintenance treatment appear to be clinically benign and do not appear to be an indication to alter treatment.

Key Words:

• Asymptomatic ulcers
• duodenal ulcers
• maintenance treatment
• ranitidine