Two new treatment regimens for Helicobacter pylori eradication: a randomised study

Several studies have found a fairly low Helicobacter pylori eradication rate using a standard 7-day triple therapy in Italy. Recently, two new therapeutic schedules have been proposed with an eradication rate higher than 90%. This study compared the efficacy of these two treatment regimens.

A total of 131 patients with Helicobacter pylori infection and either non-ulcer dyspepsia (73 patients] or peptic ulcer (58 patients) were enrolled. Helicobacter pylori infection was assessed by rapid urease test and histology on gastric biopsies. Patients were randomised to receive either a 5-day course of ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg bid, clarithromycin 500 bid, and tinidazole 500 bid, or a 10-day course of omeprazole 20 mg bid plus amoxycillin 1 g bid for the first 5 days, and omeprazole 20 mg bid, clarithromycin 500 mg bid and tinidazole 500 mg bid for the remaining 5 days. Eradication was assessed by endoscopy 4-6 weeks after therapy.

Overall, 4 patients (2 for each treatment group) were lost to follow-up. Helicobacter pylori eradication rates were 67.2% (95% confidence interval: 55.7-78.7) and 65.2% (95% confidence interval: 53.7-76.6) at per protocol and intention-to-treat analyses, respectively, after the 5-day regimen, and 96.8% (95% confidence interval: 92.5-100) and 93.8% (95% confidence interval: 88-99.7) after the 10-day regimen (p<0.05). Both treatments were well tolerated, and no major side-effects were reported.

The 5-day regimen gave disappointing results, while the eradication rate after the 10-day regimen was very high.