Long-term treatment of duodenal ulcer with pirenzepine; gastric pH values and incidence of relapses: an open pilot study

Twenty-three endoscopically healed duodenal ulcer patients entered a long-term treatment with pirenzepine for 1 year (two 25-mg tablets at breakfast and two tablets at bedtime). One day before and 7 days after the long-term treatment started, gastric pH and BAO were measured in each patient after fasting. The patients were clinically examined monthly and underwent endoscopy 4, 8 and 12 months after the trial started or when they complained of ulcer symptoms. Blood and urine laboratory tests were carried out before treatment began and 6 and 12 months afterwards. Eighteen of the 22 patients that completed the trial (82%) did not relapse. The statistical analysis tended to show a relationship between absence of pH increase and relapses. No severe side-effects or changes in the results of laboratory tests were observed.