Bicitropeptide powder and placebo in the treatment of duodenal ulcers. A double-blind endoscopically controlled clinical trial.

In a double-blind study comprising 50 patients with endoscopically proven uncomplicated duodenal ulcers a powder formulation of bicitropeptide (BCP-Compound) was found to be superior to placebo. On endoscopic examination 19 patients (76%) treated with bicitropeptide powder had healed, while 3 (12%) showed some degree of healing, a total success rate of 88%. Only 5 patients (20%) on placebo had healed completely while 3 (12%) showed some degree of healing (chi 2 = 17,9667; P less than 0,0005). Blood and urine bismuth levels were measured before and after 6 and 12 weeks of therapy, and showed an increase after the first 6 weeks. By 12 weeks the levels had decreased, although they were still higher than the initial values. The blood levels were, however, significantly lower than postulated toxic levels.