Duodenal Ulcer Recurrence during Maintenance Treatment with Ranitidine

Three hundred and eighty-eight patients with duodenal ulcer disease received maintenance treatment with ranitidine for periods of time ranging from less than 1 year to more than 7 years. The product limit method was used to calculate the proportion of patients remaining free from symptomatic recurrence of ulcer. Intention-to-treat and efficacy analyses showed that for patients receiving ranitidine, 150mg/day, the cumulative remission rates were 95% at 1 year, 86-89% at 2 years, and 84-87% at 5 years, and for patients receiving ranitidine, 300 mg/day, the rates were 92-93% at 1 year, 88-90% at 3 years, and 82-90% at 5 years. An alternative method designed to analyse all patients, regardless of dose of ranitidine, showed that the remission rates were 94% at 1 year, 86% at 3 years, and 84% at 5 years. It is concluded that more than 80% of patients with duodenal ulcer disease remain free from symptomatic recurrence of ulcer during 5 years' maintenance treatment with ranitidine.