Cumulative Helicobacter Pylori Eradication Rates by Adopting First- and Second- Line Regimens Proposed by the...

Our aim was to assess, in obese patients undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, the cumulative Helicobacter pylori (HP) eradication rates by adopting Maastricht IV guidelines in areas of high clarithromycin resistance rates (CLT)-14 days concomitant first-line therapy with proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) bid, CLT 500 mg bid, metronidazole (MTZ) 500 bid, and amoxicillin (AMX) 1000 mg bid and 14 days second-line therapy with PPI bid, AMX 1000 mg bid and levofloxacin (LVF) 500 mg od. Single-center prospective study was over 4 years. Endoscopy and HP assessment (by histology or C13 urea breath test) were performed at baseline and post-treatment HP status was assessed by C13 urea breath test 4-6 weeks after the end of therapy.

Seven hundred seventy-seven consecutive HP-positive patients completed concomitant first-line treatment: 636 (81.9%) female, age 41.1 (± 10.2) years. HP was eradicated in 556 patients-71.56% (95% CI: 68.28-74.62%). In the remaining 221 patients, second-line LVF-based regimens eradicated HP in 121 patients-54.75% (95% CI: 48.16-61.18%). These results give 87.13% (95% CI: 84.58-89.31%) ITT and 89.43% (95% CI: 87.03-91.44%) PP cumulative eradication rates. Eradication rates were not significantly different by gender, age, endoscopy findings, and smoking habits.

By adopting Maastricht IV consensus quadruple concomitant first-line treatment and second-line LVF-based therapy, high cumulative HP eradication rates are achieved but still leaves around 10.6% of obese patients undergoing RYGB in need of the culture and susceptibility testing prior to third-line treatment.