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Original Article
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Volume 336:1054-1058 April 10, 1997 Number 15
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A Comparison of Omeprazole and Placebo for Bleeding Peptic Ulcer
Mohammad Sultan Khuroo, M.D., D.M., Ghulam Nabi Yattoo, M.D., Gul Javid, M.D., Bashir Ahmad Khan, M.D., Altaf Ahmad Shah, M.D., Ghulam Mohammad Gulzar, M.D., and Jaswinder Singh Sodi, M.D.

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ABSTRACT

Background The role of medical treatment for patients with bleeding peptic ulcers is uncertain.

Methods We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 220 patients with duodenal, gastric, or stomal ulcers and signs of recent bleeding, as confirmed by endoscopy. In 26 patients the ulcers showed arterial spurting, in 34 there was active oozing, in 35 there were nonbleeding, visible vessels, and in 125 there were adherent clots. The patients were randomly assigned to receive omeprazole (40 mg given orally every 12 hours for five days) or placebo. The outcome measures studied were further bleeding, surgery, and death.

Results Twelve of the 110 patients treated with omeprazole (10.9 percent) had continued bleeding or further bleeding, as compared with 40 of the 110 patients who received placebo (36.4 percent) (P<0.001). Eight patients in the omeprazole group and 26 in the placebo group required surgery to control their bleeding (P<0.001). Two patients in the omeprazole group and six in the placebo group died. Thirty-two patients in the omeprazole group (29.1 percent) and 78 in the placebo group (70.9 percent) received transfusions (P<0.001). A subgroup analysis showed that omeprazole was associated with significant reductions in recurrent bleeding and surgery in patients with nonbleeding, visible vessels or adherent clots, but not in those with arterial spurting or oozing.

Conclusions In patients with bleeding peptic ulcers and signs of recent bleeding, treatment with omeprazole decreases the rate of further bleeding and the need for surgery.


Source Information

From the Department of Gastroenterology, Sheri Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar, Kashmir, India.

Address reprint requests to Professor Khuroo at the Department of Medicine (MBC 46), P.O. Box 3354, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia.

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