A comparison of the frequency of aspiration pneumonia in three groups, receiving sucralfate, receiving ranitidine and control group, in Khatam-Ol-Anbia hospital ICU

Summary

Stress ulcer is one of the most common complications in ICU patients. Usually an H₂-blocker or sucralfate is used for prophylaxis. In the past decade, some investigators showed a decreased number of aspiration pneumonia in patients receiving sucralfate compared with receiving ranitidine or a control group.

Method

During a 7 month course (October 2001–April 2002), 150 patients in the ICU were randomized to two 50 patients groups receiving sucalfate (1 g every 6 hours PO) and ranitidine (50 mg every 8 hours IV) and a control group. All patients were examined daily and, if needed, laboratory examinations or radiographs were requested for the diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia.

Results

Aspiration pneumonia was observed in 13 patients in the sucralfate group, 15 patients in the ranitidine group and 10 patients in the control group. There was no significant difference between suralfate and ranitidine (P = 0.65), sucralfate and control (P = 0.48) or ranitidine and control (P = 0.25).

Also, the difference between three groups was not significant (P = 0.51).

Conclusion

In this study no significant difference in the frequency of aspiration pneumonia was observed between sucralfate, ranitidine and control groups.