Lansoprazole versus Omeprazole in Active Duodenal Ulcer a Double-Blind, Randomized, Comparative Study

BACKGROUND: Lansoprazole is a new substituted benzimidazole that inhibits the H+,K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase in the parietal cell and, like the first developed proton pump inhibitor omeprazole, gives a strong inhibition of gastric acid output. METHODS: In this double-blind randomized comparative study patients with active duodenal ulcers were treated with either 30 mg lansoprazole or 20 mg omeprazole in the morning. All demographic data in the two treatment groups were comparable. RESULTS: A total of 279 patients entered the study. There was no difference in healing rates between the groups either after 2 weeks (86.2% for lansoprazole and 82.1% for omeprazole) or after 4 weeks (97.1% and 96.2%). No patient ceased treatment owing to side effects. CONCLUSIONS: Both lansoprazole and omeprazole generate very high healing rates and good symptom relief in active duodenal ulcer. Side effects are few and mild.