Omeprazole versus ranitidine: short-term triple-therapy in patients with Helicobacter pylori-positive duodenal ulcers
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A Spadaccini1, C De Fanis, G Sciampa
1Service of Gastroenterology and Digestive Endoscopy, General Hospital, Vasto (Ch), Italy.
Aim:
To compare the results of two short triple-therapy regimens, different only in the antisecretory drugs used, in patients with active duodenal ulcer and Helicobacter pylori infection.
Methods:
All patients received a combination of clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. and tinidazole 500 mg b.d. for 1 week, in addition to an antisecretory drug: omeprazole 20 mg (50 patients) or ranitidine 300 mg (50 patients) twice daily for 1 week, followed by a single daily dose for a further 3 weeks. Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, with rapid urease test and histological examination of antral and corpus biopsies, was performed prior to the treatment and at least 2 months after the discontinuation of the antisecretory therapy.
Results:
Duodenal ulcer healing was documented in all patients at the endoscopic examination after therapy. H. pylori eradication was achieved in 46 of 50 patients (92%, 95% CI = 85-99%) in the omeprazole group and in 43 of 50 patients (86%, 95% CI = 76-96%) in the ranitidine group: the difference is not significant.
Conclusion:
Omeprazole or ranitidine, in combination with clarithromycin and tinidazole, are equally effective in the eradication of H. pylori infection and healing of duodenal ulcers.