Symptomatic response to Helicobacter pylori eradication in children with recurrent abdominal pain: double blind randomized placebo-controlled trial.
BACKGROUND
Controlled trials considering the effect of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication on gastrointestinal symptoms in children are scant. We aimed to study the connection between recurrent abdominal pain and dyspepsia and H. pylori infection in children.


METHODS
This was a double blind randomised controlled trial. Twenty children with recurrent abdominal pain (RAP) being H. pylori positive as measured with the C urea breath test (UBT) were randomized either to receive omeprazole, amoxycillin and clarithromycin (n = 10), or omeprazole and 2 placebos (n = 10) for 1 week after gastroscopy. Symptoms were registered prior to the treatment and at follow up visits 2, 6, 24, and 52 weeks after stopping the treatment. Control UBT was performed on all patients 6 weeks post-treatment and again at the 52 week follow-up visit, when also re-endoscopy with biopsies was done to all participants.


RESULTS
All infected children had histologic gastritis. Bacterial eradication was achieved in 8/10 in the triple treatment group and in none in the placebo group. There was no change in symptom index in either group at 2 weeks post treatment. At 52 weeks a similar reduction in symptom index was observed in both groups irrespective of the healing of gastritis, which was more commonly achieved along the eradication.


CONCLUSIONS
Bacterial eradication and healing of gastric inflammation does not lead to symptomatic relief of chronic abdominal pain in children.
Ashorn
Merja
M
Department of Paediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. merja.ashorn@uta.fi
Rägö
Tiina
T
Kokkonen
Jorma
J
Ruuska
Tarja
T
Rautelin
Hilpi
H
Karikoski
Riitta
R
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D013997:Time Factors
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017291:Clarithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole