Safety and efficacy of one-week triple therapy for eradicating Helicobacter pylori in children.
BACKGROUND
Proton pump inhibitor-based eradication therapy of Helicobacter pylori has been widely studied in adults, but there have been only a few reports about this therapy in children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety and efficacy of 1-week triple therapy for eradication of H. pylori and ulcer healing in children.


METHODS
We prospectively studied 15 patients aged 2-17 years (5 with gastric ulcers, 8 with duodenal ulcers, and 2 with nodular gastritis alone). Three patients had H2 blocker-resistant duodenal ulcers. Patients received 0.75 mg/kg of lansoprazole b.i.d., 25 mg/kg of amoxicillin b.i.d., and 10 mg/kg of clarithromycin b.i.d. for 7 days. No additional therapy (including antisecretory drugs) was administered to any patients following eradication therapy. Patients underwent endoscopy to obtain antral biopsies (culture, urease test and histology) and to evaluate the mucosal status, and underwent a 13C-urea breath test before and 4-8 weeks after the completion of a 1-week course of therapy.


RESULTS
All patients received the full drug regimen. Endoscopy showed complete healing of ulcers in 12 of 13 patients with peptic ulcer disease (92%). H. pylori was eradicated in 13 of 15 patients (87%). Diarrhea and/or an altered taste sensation occurred in 5 patients (33%). There were no hematological or biochemical abnormalities related to therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The 1-week triple therapy was safe and effective for eradicating H. pylori. The present study showed that ulcer healing in juveniles is closely associated with eradication of H. pylori, and that no additional therapy is required when H. pylori is eradicated. A shorter course of eradication therapy than 2 weeks may be suitable for children with H. pylori infection.
Kato
S
S
Department of Pediatrics, Tohoku University School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Ritsuno
H
H
Ohnuma
K
K
Iinuma
K
K
Sugiyama
T
T
Asaka
M
M
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000293:Adolescent; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005756:Gastritis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D064747:Lansoprazole; D008297:Male; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D064747:Lansoprazole; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017291:Clarithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole