ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To assess the efficacy and safety of azosemide in patients with edema and ascites.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A multicentral, randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was applied. All 223 patients (cardiac edema 92, hepatogenic edema 63, renal edema 68) were randomized to azoesmide and furosemide group, and all patients were treated for 2 weeks. Patients with cardiac or renal edema took azosemide (30 mg/d) or furosemide (20 mg/d); patients with hepatogenic edema took azosemide (60 mg/d) or furosemide (40 mg/d). The dosage were adjusted to azosemide 60 mg/d (cardiac, renal edema), 90 mg (hepatogeic edema); or furosemide 40 mg/d (cardiac, renal edema), 60 mg (hepatogeic edema), if diuretic effects were not obtained at the end of third day.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At the end of the study, the weight changes were (2.87+/-3.10) kg and (2.81 +/-2.84) kg; the total effective rate of edema lessen was 89.19% and 89.81%; the total effective rate of heart function improvement was 64.44% and 66.66%; the 24 h urine output increased (321.85 +/-669.52) ml and (273.80 +/-645.72) ml for azosemide and furosemide, respectively. The total effective rate of ascites lessen (tested by B-ultrasound) was 89.28% and 86.66%; abdominal girth decreased (5.20 +/-3.58) cm and (5.03 +/-3.74) cm for azosemide and furosemide, respectively. The adverse event rate was 23.01% in azosemide group and 21.01% in furosemide group; the main adverse effects were hypokalemia, hyperuricemia, hypertriglyceridemia and thirsty.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Azosemide could effectively lessen edema, improve heart function and decrease ascitesûit is well tolerated and is particularly useful for the diuretic treatment.</p>