The influence of the H-2 receptor antagonist ranitidine on cadaver kidney allograft function.

To assess the influence of ranitidine on kidney allograft function a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study in 42 cadaver kidney recipients has been performed. Patients received ranitidine or placebo for 1 month. Four years after transplantation 81% of the patients in the control group were alive; 67% in the control and 71% in the ranitidine group with functioning grafts. These differences were statistically not significant. However, a slightly more intensive steroid therapy was given to keep the ranitidine patients adequately immunosuppressed. Ranitidine thus can be safely used in kidney graft recipients. Because of a lack of gastrointestinal complications in both groups, no conclusions can be drawn regarding the prophylactic value of ranitidine.