[Ofloxacin in therapy of "resistant" duodenal ulcer. A pilot study]

Since its description in 1983 Campylobacter pylori (C.p.) has been discussed as possible pathogenic factor at least in duodenal ulcer disease. The therapeutic combination of H2-receptor-antagonists (= H2-RA) and ofloxacin (Tarivid) has shown to heal resistant duodenal ulcers in some preliminary cases, which did not respond to a three month standard dosage treatment with H2-RA. This paper describes the results of twelve patients whose duodenal ulcers were resistant to H2-RA. C.p. was detected in all patients before therapy. The combined treatment with ofloxacin and H2-RA healed the duodenal ulcers within 2 weeks in 6 patients, within 4 weeks in 2, and within 6 weeks in 4 patients as proven by fortnightly performed endoscopic controls. At the end of therapy C.p. was not detected in 11 of 12 patients. The MIC's of ofloxacin for C.p. ranged from 0.5-1 microgram/ml in six investigated patients. The results suggest a possible pathogenic role of C.p. in duodenal ulcer disease.