[Famotidine in the treatment of gastropathy induced by non-steroidal antirheumatic agents].

In an open clinical endoscopically controlled study in 30 consecutive patients with rheumatic diseases complicated by the ulcerative and erosive form of gastroduodenopathy induced by non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs and oesophagitis, after four weeks treatment with oral famotidine (one dose of 40 mg/day) confirmed a significant improvement of the mean oesophageal (0.67 +/- 1.06 vs. 0.03 +/- 0.18, p rrr 0.01) gastric 2.10 +/- 1.49 vs. 0.63 +/- 0.85, p rrr 0.001) and duodenal mucosal score (1.80 +/- 1.52 vs. 0.43 +/- 0.82, p rrr 0.001). After four weeks treatment 71% lesions (5/7) in the oesophagus were cured, 77% gastric lesions (10/13) and 75% duodenal lesions (9/12). Treatment with non-steroid antirheumatics proceeded.