Study design (if review, criteria of inclusion for studies)
randomized controlled trial with double-blind cross over design
Participants
Eight adult patients with clinically stable cystic fibrosis and malabsorption requiring supplemental pancreatic extracts
Interventions
3-week period consisting of one control period followed by two one-week long periods where the patients received either cimetidine 200 mg or placebo half an hour before each meal. Other medications were continued at their usual dosage during the trial and patients kept detailed dietary records.
Outcome measures
During the last two days of each study period all urine and faeces were collected for analysis.
Main results
Clinical manifestations of malabsorption were similar during both cimetidine and placebo therapy. In addition, the stool weight, total faecal fat, urinary oxalate and the oxalate creatinine ratio during the last 48 hr of the cimetidine treatment period did not differ significantly from that of either the placebo or control treatment periods. Dietary intake did not change significantly during the time of the study.
Authors' conclusions
in patients with cystic fibrosis who require oral pancreatic supplements cimetidine 200 mg orally half an hour before meals does not result in an improvement of the clinical and biochemical manifestations of fat malabsorption.