Omeprazole plus azithromycin and either amoxicillin or tinidazole for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection.
OBJECTIVE
To establish whether omeprazole plus azithromycin in association with either amoxicillin or tinidazole is effective in curing Helicobacter pylori infection in dyspeptic patients.


BACKGROUND
Many antibiotics in combination with antisecretory drugs have been used in an attempt to find the optimal regimen for eradication of H. pylori. Azithromycin is a macrolide that achieves high concentrations in gastric tissue after a single 500-mg oral dose.


METHODS
A total of 160 consecutive symptomatic patients with H. pylori received omeprazole 20 mg twice daily for 1 week, azithromycin 500 mg/d for 3 days, and were randomly assigned to either amoxicillin 1 g twice daily (OAzAm group, n = 80) for 1 week or tinidazole 500 mg twice daily for 3 days (OAzT group, n = 80). H. pylori status was assessed by rapid urease test and histology at entry and by histology and (13)C-urea breath test after the end of the therapy.


RESULTS
H. pylori was eradicated in 62.5% of patients in the OAzAm group (intention to treat [ITT] 62.5%) and in 71.2% of patients in the OAzT group (ITT 71.2%).


CONCLUSIONS
Although the compliance was excellent and the side effects negligible, the regimens used were partially effective for the eradication of H. pylori.
Anagnostopoulos
G K
GK
Gastroenterology Department, 251 Hellenic Air Force, Athens, Greece.
Kostopoulos
P
P
Margantinis
G
G
Tsiakos
S
S
Arvanitidis
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011336:Probability; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014011:Tinidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014011:Tinidazole; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017963:Azithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole