title: Helicobacter pylori eradication in patients with peptic ulcer disease: clinical consequences and financial implications.
abstract: We assessed clinical consequences and financial implications of Helicobacter pylori eradication in 175 patients with peptic ulceration, of whom 106 had been free from H. pylori infection for a mean of 3.2 years, while 69 remained infected. We used quarterly questionnaires to examine consumption of ulcer-healing medication and antacids. In the 106 successfully treated patients, gastrointestinal haemorrhage as a complication of peptic ulcer complications during the 344 patient years after eradication (0.003 per patient year) was 18-fold lower than during the 912 patient years before eradication (0.056 per patient year). Of the H. pylori-negative patients, 12-18% used ulcer-healing medication during any one of the three-month periods of the survey, compared with 34-51% of the patients with residual H. pylori infection. The average cost of the ulcer-healing drugs consumed by the H. pylori-negative patients was 30.59 pounds during the 12 months of the survey, compared with 99.05 pounds for H. pylori-positive patients. Consumption of antacids was also lower in the H. pylori-negative group. Successful eradication of H. pylori significantly reduced the annual cost of ulcer-healing drugs consumed by the patients with ulcer disease. Maintenance of ulcer remission following successful eradication of H. pylori also significantly reduced ulcer complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Ipswich Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: K U
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Powell
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Bell
authors.forename: G H
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Burridge
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Bowden
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rameh
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Harrison
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Gant
mesh_terms: D000863:Antacids / Q000191:economics; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000191:economics / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D010438:Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / Q000517:prevention & control; D011306:Prescription Fees; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D000863:Antacids