[Accelerated healing of ulcus ventriculi by a single evening dose of famotidine. Results of an Austrian-German-Italian multicenter study].

An 8 week, double-blind randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter trial was conducted in Austria, Germany and Italy to determine whether famotidine would speed healing and relief of symptoms in patients with benign gastric ulcer. Of the 131 patients who completed the trial, 66 received 40 mg famotidine in the evening and 65 placebo. At 4, 6, and 8 weeks after entry, ulcers had healed in a higher percentage of patients treated with famotidine than of those treated with placebo (47%, 70%, 91% vs 32%, 49%, 61%). In the famotidine group healing had occurred significantly more often after 6 and 8 weeks (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01 respectively). Famotidine was superior to placebo in relieving ulcer symptoms. The proportion of patients receiving additional antacid therapy was significantly lower in the famotidine group. The findings suggest that the new H2-receptor antagonist famotidine significantly speeds the healing of benign gastric ulcers in a single evening dose.