A comparison of the clinical efficacy of ranitidine and sucralfate in reflux oesophagitis.

ABSTRACT

Forty patients with endoscopically proved reflux oesophagitis were treated in a randomised study. Treatment was given for six weeks and consisted of either 1 g sucralfate four times a day or 150 mg ranitidine tablet twice daily. Twenty patients received each drug. Clinical evaluation was done weekly and endoscopic evaluation after six weeks. Eight patients on ranitidine and ten patients on sucralfate became asymptomatic at six weeks. Ten patients on ranitidine and twelve patients on sucralfate were endoscopically healed. There was no difference in the effect of ranitidine and sucralfate treatment (p greater than 0.05). Overall tolerance and compliance with the two forms of treatment were good. Though ranitidine has a more convenient dose schedule and is more cost-effective, sucralfate needs further clinical evaluation.