Comparison of intravenous pantoprazole and ranitidine in patients with dyspepsia presented to the emergency department: a randomized, double blind, controlled trial

BACKGROUND:This study aimed to compare pantoprazole,a proton-pomp inhibitors(PPIs),and ranitidine,a H2 receptor antagonists(H2RA),in ceasing dyspeptic symptoms in the emergency department(ED).METHODS:This randomized,double-blinded study compared the effectiveness of 50 mg ranitidine(Ulcuran®)and 40 mg pantoprazole(Pantpas®),given in a 100 m L saline solution by an intravenous rapid infusion within 2–4 minutes in patients with dyspepsia presented to the ED.Pain intensity was measured at baseline,30 and 60 minutes after the drug administration.RESULTS:A total of 72 patients were eligible for the study.Of these patients,2 were excluded from the study because the initial visual analogue scale(VAS)scores were under 20 mm and 4 were excluded from the statistical analysis because of being diagnosed as having other causes of epigastric pain despite being allocated to one of the study groups.Thirty-three patients in the pantoprazole group and 33 patients in the ranitidine group were analyzed ultimately.The mean age of the patients was36.6±15 years,and 26(39.4%)patients were male.Both of the groups reduced pain effectively at 30[27.6±28(18 to 37)vs.28.3±23(20 to 37),respectively]and 60 minutes[39.6±39(26 to 53)vs.42.3±25(33 to 51),respectively].There were 13(39.4%)patients in the pantoprazole group and 8(24.2%)patients in the ranitidine group who required additional drug at the end of the study(P=0.186).CONCLUSION:Intravenous pantoprazole and ranitidine are not superior to each other in ceasing dyspeptic symptoms at 30 and 60 minutes in the ED.