Study design (if review, criteria of inclusion for studies)
double-blind controlled trial
Participants
4 CF children
Interventions
cimetidine by a marker perfusion technique
Outcome measures
gastric function and exogenous pancreatic enzymes
Main results
Gastric acid secretion was higher in CF patients than in controls (P less than 0.005) and was reduced significantly by oral cimetidine (P less than 0.02). Rapid inactivation of exogenous trypsin and lipase occurred when gastric pH fell to less than 4.5. There was no loss of enzyme activity during treatment with cimetidine when gastric pH remained above 5.5. Activity of lipase and trypsin in the jejunum improved in all subjects. Fat and nitrogen absorption assessed by a balance technique during the study period showed a small improvement in fat absorption while on cimetidine.
Authors' conclusions
some CF patients have a high meal-stimulated gastric acid output which causes inactivation of trypsin and lipase. Cimetidine was effective in reducing acid secretion in such patients and led to small improvements in fat absorption.