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2251059 
Journal Article 
Randomized, prospective, double blind, placebo controlled trial of glyceryl trinitrate ointment in treatment of anal fissure 
Lund, JN; Scholefield, JH 
1997 
1 
The Lancet
ISSN: 0140-6736
EISSN: 1474-547X 
IPA/97/1122049 
VOL 349 ISS Jan 4 1997 
REF 21 
11-14 
eng 
IPA COPYRIGHT: ASHP A randomized double blind study of the effectiveness of nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate) ointment for the treatment of chronic anal fissure was conducted in 80 patients (ages 19-79 yr) who applied 0.2% nitroglycerin (Percutol) or placebo ointment twice daily for 8 wk. After 8 wk, healing was seen in 36 of 38 patients treated with nitroglycerin and in 3 of 39 treated with placebo. Linear analog pain scores fell significantly in both groups after 2 wk of therapy. This fall was maintained in the nitroglycerin group, but scores returned to pretreatment values by 4 wk of treatment with placebo. Maximum anal resting pressure fell significantly from a mean of 115.9 to 75.9 cm H2O in the nitroglycerin group, but no change was seen in the placebo group. Anodermal blood flow was significantly increased by nitroglycerin, but was unaffected by placebo.