Assessing the efficacy of famotidine and rebamipide in the treatment of gastric mucosal lesions in patients receiving long-term NSAID therapy (FORCE--famotidine or rebamipide in comparison by endoscopy)

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and Helicobacter pylori infection are major causes of gastric mucosal lesions. In Japan, histamine-2 receptor antagonists are frequently prescribed, but the literature regarding their efficacy is limited. In this study, we compare the effects of famotidine and rebamipide on NSAID-associated gastric mucosal lesions using upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. This study examined 112 patients taking NSAIDs for either gastric hemorrhage or erosion. Before treatment, the patients were assessed by endoscopy. Using blind randomization, patients were divided into two groups: group F (famotidine, 20 mg/day) and group R (rebamipide, 300 mg/day). Efficacy was examined 4 weeks later using endoscopy. After treatment, the Lanza score decreased significantly in group F (P < 0.001) but not in group R (P = 0.478). The change in the Lanza score in group F was significantly greater (P = 0.002) than that in group R. Famotidine was superior to rebamipide in treating NSAID-associated mucosal lesions.