[Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in developing countries].
A NIH Consensus Conference recommended Helicobacter pylori eradication to all ulcer patients, based mainly on information coming from countries with a low prevalence of infection in general population. The epidemiological situation is different in developing countries, where a pandemic of H. pylori goes unchecked, and most people become infected at young age. It is possible that response to eradication therapies and reinfection rate were to be included among the differences between developed and developing countries, raising doubts about the worldwide applicability of NIH recommendations. Limited published evidence and our experience suggest that eradication therapies have a lower efficacy and reinfection rate is significantly higher in developing compared to developed countries. In spite of this, the risk of ulcer recurrence after H. pylori eradication is substantially reduced compared to antisecretory therapy. Model analysis to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of H. pylori eradication, using figures that probably include the clinical and costs situation of developing countries, suggests that also from an economic perspective H. pylori eradication should be the standard treatment for peptic ulcer disease in developing countries. Local studies must determine the best eradication therapy for a particular geographical location, and longer follow-up of eradicated patients is needed to determine the true reinfection rate.
Rollán
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Departamento de Gastroenterología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica, Santiago de Chile. rollan@med.puc.cl
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D019049:Developed Countries; D003906:Developing Countries; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000191:economics; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D012008:Recurrence
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents