Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection with omeprazole-amoxicillin combination therapy versus ranitidine/sodium bicarbonate-amoxicillin.
OBJECTIVE
Simpler, effective therapies to treat Helicobacter pylori infection are greatly needed. Omeprazole co-therapy apparently enhances effectiveness of some antimicrobials. Our objective in this study was to determine whether the apparent additional benefit provided by omeprazole to amoxicillin therapy could be equaled by a high dose of ranitidine plus sodium bicarbonate.


METHODS
In a prospective randomized trial, we tested 1 g amoxicillin b.i.d. with either omeprazole 20 mg b.i.d., or high dose ranitidine (900 and 1800 mg) plus sodium bicarbonate tablets 650 t.i.d. (with meals) for 14 day.


RESULTS
Fifty-two patients with documented H. pylori infection and peptic ulcer completed therapy. The cure rate with omeprazole and amoxicillin was poor (46%), with the 95% confidence interval (CI) = 25-67%. Ranitidine plus sodium bicarbonate was also poor (39% cure) with the 95% CI = 21.5-59% (p > 0.57). Average compliance was more than 92% for all three groups. Side effects were experienced in only two patients (stomatitis and mild diarrhea).


CONCLUSIONS
Neither the omeprazole nor ranitidine plus bicarbonate plus amoxicillin therapies used here can be recommended for treatment of H. pylori infection.
al-Assi
M T
MT
Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Houston, Texas, USA.
Cole
R A
RA
Karttunen
T J
TJ
el-Zimaity
H
H
Genta
R M
RM
Graham
D Y
DY
D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001706:Biopsy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000658:Amoxicillin; D011899:Ranitidine; D017693:Sodium Bicarbonate; D009853:Omeprazole