title: Use of lactoferrin for Helicobacter pylori eradication. Preliminary results.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One-week triple therapy is the most frequently recommended treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. The associated eradication rate is satisfactory; nevertheless, it is advisable to look for more effective therapies. Our aim was to test the efficacy of a standard triple therapy plus bovine lactoferrin for the eradication of H. pylori infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  This open, randomized, single-center study was designed to include 150 consecutive H. pylori-positive patients with dyspeptic symptoms and gastritis who received triple therapy with rabeprazole, clarithromycin, and tinidazole plus lactoferrin for 7 days (group A), rabeprazole, clarithromycin, and tinidazole for 7 days (group B), or rabeprazole, clarithromycin, and tinidazole for 10 days (group C). H. pylori status was assessed 8 weeks after the end of treatment by means of the 13C-urea breath test or H. pylori stool antigen test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The 7-day treatment including lactoferrin (group A) was successful in 100% (24/24) of the patients. The eradication rates in groups B and C were 76.9% (20/26 patients; 95% CI, 61%-93%) and 70.8% (17/24 patients; 95% CI, 53%-89%), respectively. A significant difference was found between group A and group B (P = 0.023) and group A and group C (P = 0.022). No differences were found between group B and group C (P = 1.00).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that lactoferrin could be a new, effective agent when added to antimicrobial therapy for the eradication of H. pylori. This treatment schedule could be proposed for larger trials of H. pylori eradication therapy, focusing on the excellent preliminary cure rate, good compliance to the treatment schedule, and relatively low price of lactoferrin for full treatment.
authors.affiliation: Section of Gastroenterology, University of Parma, Italy. francesco.dimario@unipr.it
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Mario
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aragona
authors.forename: Nadia Dal
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Bò
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ingegnoli
authors.forename: Giulia M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Cavestro
authors.forename: Ali M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iori
authors.forename: Gioacchino
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Leandro
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilotto
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franzè
mesh_terms: D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007781:Lactoferrin