Clarithromycin dual therapy regimens for eradication of Helicobacter pylori: a review

Peptic ulcer disease can be cured by eradication of Helicobacter pylori during treatment to heal the ulcer. Dual therapy regimens were among the first to be granted approval for use. Reports of dual therapies including clarithromycin as the sole antibiotic are reviewed.

Reports were identified from literature up to May 1997. Information reviewed included patient population, medical diagnosis, trial design, eradication regimens, and H. pylori eradication rates. The great diversity between studies limits formal meta-analysis but a measure of relative efficacy has been obtained by comparison of eradication rates derived by clearly defined methods and by pooling data.

Seventy-five reports of trials with 104 dual therapy treatment arms were reviewed. H. pylori eradication rates reported with ranitidine bismuth citrate plus clarithromycin range from 70-96% with a pooled observed rate of 85%. With omeprazole plus clarithromycin, reported eradication rates range from 27-90% with the pooled reported rate being 66%. Few data are available with either lansoprazole or ranitidine hydrochloride plus clarithromycin.

High H. pylori eradication rates derived by consistent and clearly defined methods have been seen with ranitidine bismuth citrate plus clarithromycin. Lower and more variable rates are reported with clarithromycin and either a proton pump inhibitor or a histamine H2-receptor antagonist.