title: Meta-analysis: duration of first-line proton-pump inhibitor based triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Proton-pump inhibitor (PPI)-based triple therapy is the recommended first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection. A consensus on treatment duration is lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the benefits and harms of different durations of PPI-based triple therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and proceedings of major meetings through May 2007.
  
  
  METHODS
  English-language reports of randomized, controlled trials that compared duration (7, 10, or 14 days) of triple therapy and in which adequate testing confirmed the initial H. pylori infection and its eradication.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two authors independently extracted data on study design, treatment, number of patients enrolled and number of patients with successful eradication, disease at enrollment, testing, adverse effects, year of publication, publication format, and country.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 21 included studies, 11 compared 7-day therapy with 10-day therapy, and 13 compared 7-day therapy with 14-day therapy. Meta-analysis yielded relative risks (RRs) for eradication of 1.05 (95% CI, 1.01 to 1.10) for 7-day compared with 10-day amoxicillin-containing triple therapy (10 studies) and 1.07 (CI, 1.02 to 1.12) for 7-day compared with 14-day therapy (11 studies). Meta-analysis of the 3 studies that compared 7-day with 14-day metronidazole-containing therapy yielded an RR of 1.08 (CI, 0.96 to 1.22). The 7-day versus 10-day comparisons yielded RRs of 1.03 (CI, 0.97 to 1.10) for peptic ulcer disease and 1.10 (CI, 1.02 to 1.20) for nonulcer dyspepsia. For the 7-day versus 14-day comparisons, the RRs were 1.04 (CI, 0.99 to 1.09) and 1.03 (CI, 0.88 to 1.20), respectively. The RRs for frequency of adverse events were 0.98 (CI, 0.85 to 1.14) and 1.08 (CI, 0.84 to 1.40) for 7-day therapy compared with 10- and 14-day therapy, respectively. Diarrhea and taste disturbance were the most frequently reported adverse events (5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Subgroup analyses were limited by the few studies evaluating different drug regimens and disease at enrollment. Seventeen of the included studies had poor methodological quality or inadequate reporting.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Available data suggest that extending triple therapy beyond 7 days is unlikely to be a clinically useful strategy.
authors.affiliation: University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. franco.bazzoli@unibo.it
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fuccio
authors.forename: Maria Eugenia
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Minardi
authors.forename: Rocco Maurizio
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Zagari
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Grilli
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Magrini
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bazzoli
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D008795:Metronidazole; D000658:Amoxicillin