PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

W R Middleton

Publications and source records attributed to W R Middleton.

18 recordsLinked to original sources

Cost-effectiveness of cimetidine maintenance therapy in chronic gastric and duodenal ulcer.

The effects of cimetidine maintenance therapy on the socioeconomic life of patients with peptic ulcers in the 3 years after healing and the extent to which treatment was cost-effective were studied. Three hundred eleven patients with healed ulcers (184 gastric, 127 duodenal) were studied for periods of up to 3 years; 261 patients (152 gastric ulcer, 109 duodenal ulcer) completed the 3-year follow-up. Cimetidine (400 mg at night) was compared with placebo in a double-blind, randomized prospective study. Intention-to-treat analysis was used. In the placebo group, the major costs of ulcer disease in gastric ulcer patients were attributable to endoscopic procedures and absenteeism; in duodenal ulcer patients, the major costs were endoscopic procedures, absenteeism, and surgery. Cimetidine was cost-effective in both gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer patients in the first 2 years after healing. Over the 3-year period it was also cost-effective, but no benefit was seen in the third year.

Absenteeism

Comparison of colloidal bismuth subcitrate tablets and liquid in duodenal ulcer healing.

A double-blind trial using 51 outpatients was aimed at comparing the effectiveness of colloidal bismuth subcitrate (C.B.S.) in tablet and liquid form in the healing of duodenal ulcer. Criteria of entry included endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer, duration of symptoms greater than 4 weeks, and the absence of other major systemic disease. Patients were given either C.B.S. tablets (1 four times daily) or C.B.S. liquid (5 ml four times daily) for 4 weeks. Ulcer symptoms and their relief were recorded by patients, along with data on cigarette, alcohol, and drug intake. Endoscopy was performed after 4 weeks to assess healing. By 4 weeks, 18 of 26 patients taking tablets (69%) and 19 out of 25 patients taking liquid (76%), had healed (p = 0.82). Symptomatic improvement was similar with both tablets and liquid. Smoking and analgesic ingestion did not influence healing rate. We conclude that C.B.S. tablets and liquid are equally effective in healing duodenal ulcer.

Adult

Comparison of ranitidine and cimetidine in duodenal ulcer healing.

A single-blind trial in 50 outpatients was aimed at comparing the effectiveness of ranitidine (150 mg twice a day) and cimetidine (200 mg three times a day and 400 mg at night) in the healing of endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer. Patients were reassessed after two weeks of therapy, and then after four weeks immediately before repeat endoscopy. If the ulcer had not healed, treatment was continued for a further two weeks when patient assessment and endoscopy were repeated. By four weeks, ulcers had healed in 72% of patients receiving ranitidine and in 64% of those receiving cimetidine (P = 0.76). At six weeks, the healing rate was 92% in both groups. Symptomatic improvement was similar with both drugs. It is concluded that ranitidine and cimetidine are equally effective in healing duodenal ulcer.

Adult

Preoperative parathyroid identification by ultrasonic scan.

A preliminary report of the use of ultrasonic scans to locate parathyroid tissue before neck exploration is presented. Three patients suffering from hyperparathyroidism had abnormal parathyroid tissue located before surgery. These findings were confirmed at operation. The role of ultrasonic scans of the neck before exploration is discussed.

Aged

Salmonella typhimurium colitis.

A patient in whom Salmonella typhimurium infection caused a localised colitis is described. Colitis has been demonstrated in experimental animals infected with S. typhimurium and noted at post mortem in patients dying from S. typhimurium infection. However colitis is an infrequently recognised feature of this infection in man, the usual diagnosis being one of gastroenteritis. There have been four other cases reported with radiological evidence of colonic involvement due to salmonella infection. Colitis probably occurs more frequently than is usually recognised in this condition and must be distinguished from ulcerative colitis.

Adult