One-week dual therapy with ranitidine bismuth citrate and clarithromycin for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy and safety of ranitidine bismuth citrate plus clarithromycin given for 1 wk in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer.


METHODS
One hundred and twenty patients with peptic ulcer were randomized in two treatment groups: (1) 1-wk regimen consisting of ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.i.d. with clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d. or (2) 2-wk regimen of the same treatment. Eradication of the infection was considered when both the histologic examination and the urease test were negative for the infection 3 mo after treatment.


RESULTS
By intention to treat analysis, Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) was eradicated in 73% and 76% of patients, respectively treated for 1 or 2 wk (P>0.05). By per protocol analysis, the eradication rates were 80% and 83%, respectively, in patients treated for 1 or 2 wk (P>0.05). Nine patients (8.2%) reported minor side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
One-week therapy with ranitidine bismuth citrate and clarithromycin is safe, well tolerated and effective for treatment of H pylori infection, and appears to be comparable to the 2-wk regimen in terms of efficacy.
Mesquita
Maria Aparecida
MA
Disciplina de Gastroenterologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, FCM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, CP 6111, 13081-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. mesquita@fcm.unicamp.br
Lorena
Sonia Letícia Silva
SL
Almeida
Jazon Romilson Souza
JR
Montes
Ciro Garcia
CG
Guerrazzi
Fábio
F
Campos
Luciana T
LT
Zeitune
José Murilo Rubiota
JM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001729:Bismuth / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D011899:Ranitidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; C073340:ranitidine bismuth citrate; D011899:Ranitidine; D017291:Clarithromycin; D001729:Bismuth