Use of bovine lactoferrin for Helicobacter pylori eradication.
BACKGROUND
One-week triple therapy is the most frequently recommended treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection. Eradication rate is satisfactory, nevertheless is advisable to look for more effective therapies.


OBJECTIVE
To test the efficacy of a standard triple therapy plus bovine lactoferrin in the eradication of H. pylori infection.


METHODS
One hundred and fifty consecutive H. pylori positive patients, suffering from dyspeptic symptoms were recruited in a 7-day triple therapy open randomised single centre study with rabeprazole, clarithromycin, tinidazole, bovine lactoferrin (group A) or rabeprazole, clarithromycin, tinidazole (group B), or a 10-day therapy with rabeprazole, clarithromycin, tinidazole (group C). H. pylori status was assessed 8 weeks after the end of the treatment by means of a 13C-urea breath test or a H. pylori stool antigen-test.


RESULTS
Eradication rates (intention to treat/per protocol) were: group A (92.2/95.9%), group B (71.2/72.5%) and group C (70.2/75%). The efficacy of triple therapy added with lactoferrin was significantly higher than other two regimens (p=0.01, intention to treat analysis; p=0.005, per protocol analysis).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that lactoferrin tested in the present study was effective in curing H. pylori and could be a new agent to assist the antimicrobials in the eradication of the bacterium.
Di Mario
F
F
University of Parma, Parma, Italy. francesco.dimario@unipr.it
Aragona
G
G
Dal Bò
N
N
Cavestro
G M
GM
Cavallaro
L
L
Iori
V
V
Comparato
G
G
Leandro
G
G
Pilotto
A
A
Franzè
A
A
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000994:Antitrichomonal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001944:Breath Tests; D002417:Cattle; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D064750:Rabeprazole; D013997:Time Factors; D014011:Tinidazole / Q000627:therapeutic use
D053799:2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D000994:Antitrichomonal Agents; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D014011:Tinidazole; D064750:Rabeprazole; D007781:Lactoferrin; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases; D017291:Clarithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole