To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: DG DISPATCH - ASCRS: Nitroglycerin Ointment Effective For Treating Chronic Anal Fissures URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/1D809E.htm Doctor's Guide June 29, 2000
By Margaret Pearson Special to DG News
BOSTON, MA -- June 29, 2000 -- Patients with chronic anal fissures who are treated with topical nitroglycerin have a significant and rapid reduction of pain, researchers report.
A large, randomized, double-blind study of 304 patients with chronic anal fissures was conducted to determine an optimal dose of topical nitroglycerin ointment.
Researchers, led by Dr. D. Beck, of the Ochsner Clinic, in New Orleans, LA, randomly assigned 304 patients to receive 375 mg of either 0%, 0.1%, 0.2% or 0.4% of the nitroglycerin ointment applied twice or three times daily.
The results were presented at the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeon's Meeting, in Boston, MA.
Their results showed that there was no significant difference in fissure healing in any of the treatment groups. All patients, including those in the placebo patients, had a 50 percent healing rate.
Dr. Beck and his associates found a higher than previously reported placebo rate in their study. Patients treated with 0.4% nitroglycerin ointment did report a highly significant decrease in pain in the first week of treatment.
Overall, all doses were well tolerated, with only 2.6 percent of patients experiencing headaches. Dr. Beck added that, "patients with chronic anal fissures using nitroglycerin ointment have a significant and rapid reduction of pain." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.