A single evening dose of rioprostil, 600 micrograms, in the treatment of acute duodenal ulcers.

When administered as 300 micrograms b.d. or as 600 micrograms once in the evening, the new prostaglandin E1 analogue, rioprostil, is capable of reducing nocturnal H+ activity (1200 h to 0800 h) by 52% and 74%, respectively (p less than 0.01). Diurnal acidity (0900 h to 1800 h), on the other hand, is only reduced by 33% and 15% (not significant). A single evening dose of rioprostil, 600 micrograms, is used successfully on 208 patients suffering from acute duodenal ulcer. After 2 weeks and 4 weeks of treatment, the healing rates are comparable to the high values obtained with ranitidine, 300 mg nocte (rioprostil, 600 micrograms nocte: 54.1% and 84.1%; ranitidine, 300 mg nocte: 54.4% and 89.9%). There are also no significant differences between the groups as regards symptomatic improvement. Severe diarrhoea and abdominal complaints do not occur with rioprostil, 600 micrograms nocte.