Famotidine: nocturnal administration for gastric ulcer healing. Results of multicenter trials in Austria and Germany.

We conducted an 8-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled multicenter trial (Austria and Germany) to determine whether famotidine would speed healing or relief of symptoms in patients with benign gastric ulcer. Of the 65 patients who completed the trial, 32 received famotidine 40 mg once at night, and 33 received placebo. At 4, 6, and 8 weeks after entry, ulcers had healed in a larger percentage of patients treated with famotidine than in those treated with placebo (German multicenter trial: 65 vs. 46%, 95 vs. 71%, and 95 vs. 79%; Austrian multicenter trial: 42 vs. 44%, 67 vs. 44%, and 92 vs. 44%). In the famotidine group, healing had occurred significantly more often after 6 weeks (p less than 0.05). Famotidine was not superior to placebo in relieving ulcer symptoms. The findings suggest that famotidine in a single evening dose significantly hastens the healing of benign gastric ulcers.