Helicobacter pyloriEradication with Either Seven-Day or 10-Day Triple Therapies, and with a 10-Day Sequential Regimen

Abstract

BACKGROUND:Helicobacter pylorieradication rates achieved by standard seven-day triple therapies are decreasing in several countries, while a novel 10-day sequential regimen has achieved a very high success rate. A longer 10-day triple therapy, similar to the sequential regimen, was tested to see whether it could achieve a better infection cure rate.METHODS: Patients with nonulcer dyspepsia andH pyloriinfection were randomly assigned to one of the following three therapies: esomeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg and amoxycillin 1 g for seven days or 10 days, or a 10-day sequential regimen including esomeprazole 20 mg plus amoxycillin 1 g for five days and esomeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg and tinidazole 500 mg for the remaining five days. All drugs were given twice daily.H pylorieradication was checked four to six weeks after treatment by using a13C-urea breath test.RESULTS: Overall, 213 patients were enrolled.H pylorieradication was achieved in 75.7% and 77.9%, in 81.7% and 84.1%, and in 94.4% and 97.1% of patients following seven-day or 10-day triple therapy and the 10-day sequential regimen, at intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses, respectively. The eradication rate following the sequential regimen was higher than either seven-day (P=0.002) or 10-day triple therapy (P=0.02), while no significant difference emerged between the latter two regimens (P=0.6).CONCLUSIONS: The 10-day sequential regimen was significantly more effective than both triple regimens, while 10-day triple therapy failed to significantly increase theH pylorieradication rate achieved by the standard seven-day regimen.