title: Evaluation of two therapeutic regimens for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.
abstract: In the present study we evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of two different therapeutic schedules in eradicating Helicobacter pylori. Forty-six consecutive patients (suffering from either peptic ulcer or non-ulcer dyspepsia) with helicobacter pylori infection were randomly allocated to one of the following two groups: group 1 (n = 23) 2 weeks of treatment with bismuth subcitrate tablets (120 mgx4) + amoxycillin capsules (500 mgx4) + metronidazole tablets (250 mgx4); group 2 (n = 23) 2 weeks of treatment with amoxycillin capsules (500 mgx4) + metronidazole tablets (250 mgx4). Endoscopy, histology and bacterial culture were performed at entry, and 30 and 90 days after treatment. Two group 1 patients and one group 2 patient did not complete the treatment. Successful eradication was obtained in 20/21 (95%) patients treated with triple therapy (group 1) and in 17/22 (77%) patients treated with double therapy (group 2) (p = 0.2). Side-effects occurred in 9/21 (43%) patients of group 1 and in 9/22 (41%) patients of group 2 (p = 0.9). These were all self-limiting and required no specific treatment. These data suggest that combined therapy with amoxycillin and metronidazole, with or without bismuth subcitrate, represents a safe and effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. In our series, triple therapy determined a numerically higher eradication rate than double therapy.
authors.affiliation: Instituto di Clinica Medica e Gastroenterologia, Ospedale S. Orsola, Università di Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tucci
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Poli
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gasperoni
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Varoli
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Paparo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Giorgio
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stanghellini
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corinaldesi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000382:microbiology; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008795:Metronidazole; D000658:Amoxicillin; C002791:bismuth tripotassium dicitrate; D001729:Bismuth