[The drugs for H. pylori eradication therapy]

H. pylori eradication significantly inhibited ulcer recurrence in Japanese peptic ulcer patients. In Japan, 12 months after treatment, gastric ulcers had recurred in 11.4% of those with successful H. pylori eradication and 64.5% of those with unsuccessful H. pylori eradication. Duodenal ulcers had recurred in 6.8% of patients for whom H. pylori eradication was successful and in 85.3% of patients in whom eradication failed. About long-term study, 4 years after treatment, gastric ulcers had recurred in 9.3% of those with successful H. pylori eradication and duodenal ulcers recurrence was occurred in 6.2% of those. The annual recurrence rates of gastric, duodenal ulcer were 2.3% and 1.6%, respectively. However, in current Japan, the decrease of the primary eradication rate is reported by the increase of clarithromycin-resistant strains. The increase of metronidazole-resistant strains used for the second eradication is not recognized so far, but in future, increase is concerned about. Therefore, the making of the regimen of the third-line eradication therapy is needed now.