The histological maturity of regenerating mucosa of healed duodenal ulcer and ulcer recurrence after treatment with H2-antagonist

We investigated the relationship between the histological maturity of regenerating mucosa of healed duodenal ulcer and ulcer recurrence, after treatment with an H₂-antagonist. Duodenal ulcer patients were given H₂-antagonists (either cimetidine or famotidine) for 4 wk of therapy. Fifty-two (77.6%) of the 67 patients were healed endoscopically. The histological state of the regenerating mucosa of healed duodenal ulcer was divided into three categories: good, fair, and poor patterns. Of the 52 healed patients, 15 achieved a good histological pattern. None of these 15 patients had a recurrence 3 months later. However, nine of the 37 patients with a fair or poor pattern of regenerating mucosa had a recurrence 3 months after healing (p = 0.034). We concluded that a duodenal ulcer should be treated until the regenerating mucosa of the healed ulcer reaches a good histological pattern, so as to prevent the recurrence of the ulcer.