Clinical trial value of trimipramine versus placebo in duodenal ulcer healing.

Thirty-two patients with duodenal ulceration took trimipramine 50 mg or placebo. Fifteen patients on each treatment completed the study. Endoscopy at four weeks showed ulcer healing in seven (46%) patients on trimipramine, compared with only two (15%) on placebo (P less than 0.05). However, by eight weeks there were eight (53%) patients in both groups with healed ulcers. There were no significant differences between the two groups in ulcer symptoms. Drowsiness was reported by eight patients on trimipramine compared with only one on placebo. Trimipramine 50 mg appears to increase the rate of ulcer healing in the short term. Side-effects at the dose used may limit its long-term usefulness.