[Effectiveness of short-term triple therapy for healing Helicobacter pylori infection in ulcer disease]

There is evidence that triple therapy with two antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor is more cost-effective than various dual therapies for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. We have analyzed the effectiveness and acceptability of the so-called "Italian protocol" (clarithromycin 250 mg b.i.d., metronidazole 500 mg b.i.d. and omeprazole 20 mg daily for one week, followed by 20 mg omeprazole daily for further 3 weeks) in a prospective study of 36 patients with Helicobacter pylori-associated ulcers (10 gastric ulcers, 26 duodenal ulcers). Primary eradication was achieved in 35 out of 36 patients (96%). Side effects such as dysgeusia and diarrhea were rare and rapidly reversible. We conclude that this triple therapy was cost-effective and well tolerated in our study population.