Ulcer-healing drugs are required after eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with gastric ulcer but not duodenal ulcer haemorrhage.
OBJECTIVE
To study the efficacy of a 2-week anti-Helicobacter therapy in the healing of H. pylori-associated bleeding peptic ulcers.


METHODS
Omeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg and amoxycillin 1 g, twice daily, were given for 2 weeks to 180 patients with H. pylori-associated bleeding peptic ulcers. Endoscopy was repeated 4 weeks after the eradication therapy to assess healing of the peptic ulcers.


RESULTS
Repeat endoscopies were performed in 168 patients (42 gastric ulcer and 126 duodenal ulcer) who followed the protocol. Thirty-eight patients with bleeding gastric ulcers and 124 patients with bleeding duodenal ulcers healed 4 weeks after treatment (per protocol analysis; gastric ulcer: 91% vs. duodenal ulcer: 98%; P=0. 035). No patients who were compliant to the study medications suffered from re-bleeding. Stepwise discriminant analysis demonstrated that small ulcers (< 15 mm) and the presence of duodenal ulcers best predicted healing of the peptic ulcers.


CONCLUSIONS
Ulcer-healing drugs should be continued after a 2-week course of omeprazole-containing anti-Helicobacter therapy for gastric ulcers and large peptic ulcers that have bled, but can be omitted in most patients with a bleeding duodenal ulcer.
Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China. kclai@hkucc.hku.hk
K C
KC
Lai
W M
WM
Hui
B C
BC
Wong
W H
WH
Hu
S K
SK
Lam
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004381:Duodenal Ulcer / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010406:Penicillins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010438:Peptic Ulcer Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D010406:Penicillins; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017291:Clarithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole