[Helicobacter pylori-related diseases]

This article summarizes the main conclusions drawn from the studies presented in Digestive Disease Week in 2012 on Helicobacter pylori infection. In developed countries, the prevalence of this infection has decreased, although it continues to be high. The prevalence in Spain is high (50%) and does not seem to be decreasing. There is an increase in antibiotic resistance, which is correlated with the frequency of prior antibiotic prescription. H. pylori eradication improves the symptoms of "epigastric pain syndrome" in functional dyspepsia. The frequency of idiopathic peptic ulcers seems to be increasing. To prevent the development of gastric cancer, eradication therapy should be administered early (before intestinal metaplasia develops). H. pylori eradication in patients undergoing early endoscopic resection of gastric cancer reduces the incidence of metachronous tumors, although endoscopic follow-up should be performed periodically. H. pylori eradication induces MALT lymphoma regression in most patients and tumoral recurrence in the long term is exceptional; radiotherapy is an excellent second-line option; a watch and wait approach to histologic recurrence after initial MALT lymphoma remission is a reasonable alternative. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is an indication for eradication therapy in children as well as adults. There are several diagnostic innovations, such as high-resolution endoscopy, narrow-band imaging, a method based on the electrochemical properties of H. pylori, and the cytosponge. Quadruple therapy with bismuth is at least as effective as standard triple therapy. The superiority of "sequential" therapy over standard triple therapy should be confirmed in distinct settings. The efficacy of "concomitant" therapy is similar -or even better- than that of "sequential" therapy, but has the advantage of being simpler. A hybrid sequential-concomitant therapy is highly effective. In patients allergic to beta-lactams, the efficacy of treatment with a proton pump inhibitor-clarithromycin-metronidazole is insufficient. When standard triple therapy fails, the second-line option of a 10-day course of levofloxacin is effective and is simpler and better tolerated than quadruple therapy. Triple therapy with levofloxacin is also a promising alternative after failure of "sequential" and "concomitant" therapy. New-generation quinolones, such as moxifloxacin and sitafloxacin, could be useful as eradication therapy, especially as rescue therapy. When two eradication therapies have failed, empirical administration of a third (e.g. levofloxacin) is a valid option. Even after three eradication therapies have failed, an empirical rescue therapy (with rifabutin) can be effective. H. pylori reinfection is highly frequent in developing countries, probably due to intrafamilial transmission.