Oral tripotassium-dicitratobismuthate in gastric and duodenal ulceration. A double-blind controlled trial.

One hundred ambulant outpatients with active, endoscopically proven peptic ulceration entered a double-blind trial of either tripotassium-dicitratobismuthate or placebo. Thirty-four patients had gastric ulceration, 56 had duodenal ulceration, three had both gastric and duodenal ulcers, and two had stomal ulceration. Five patients with gastric ulceration were withdrawn from the trial. Three patients with both gastric and duodenal ulceration and two patients with stomal ulceration were excluded from statistical analysis. After 28 days of tripotassium-dicitratobismuthate 94% of gastric ulcer patients had significant endoscopic healing (P less than 0.01). Although 75% of duodenal ulcers healed after 28 days of tripotassium-dicitratobismuthate, this was not statistically significant because of a 60% rate of healing with placebo. Tripotassium-dicitratobismuthate produced a significantly quicker symptomatic response in duodenal ulcer patients (P less than 0.01). No serious side effects were recorded, and patient acceptability was high. It is concluded that tripotassium-dicitratobismuthate is an effective agent for promoting gastric ulcer healing and for symptomatic relief in duodenal ulceration.