Kinetics of duodenal ulcer healing: effect of treatment with cimetidine.

In a double-blind trial, 12 in-patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulceration were treated with cimetidine (0.8 g daily) or placebo. Ulcer sizes were assessed endoscopically before treatment and at weekly intervals during treatment. Duodenal-ulcer healing was significantly more rapid in patients on cimetidine than in those receiving the placebo (p less than 0.0005): half-times of ulcer healing were about 6 days (on cimetidine) as compared to about 20 days (on placebo). No untoward clinical or laboratory effects were observed.