Is maintenance acid suppression necessary to reduce the rate of reinfection with Helicobacter pylori?
OBJECTIVE
Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection can recur even after eradication by triple therapy. We hypothesize that maintenance acid suppression treatment after standard eradication therapy would be necessary to further reduce ulcer recurrence in Jordanian population.


METHODS
This is a retrospective study that was conducted at King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH), a major University hospital, and tertiary care facility (> 400 beds) located in North Jordan. Endoscopic and histologic results and medication history were reviewed for each patient who has prescribed eradication therapy for HP over the period from July 2003 until May 2006.


RESULTS
Maintenance acid suppression treatment after standard eradication therapy markedly reduced the recurrence rate of peptic ulcer from 58.3% (with out maintenance acid suppression treatment) to 1.45% (with maintenance acid suppression treatment).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate that treatment of HP infection by eradication regimen (triple therapy only) is not enough to prevent recurrence of ulcer in the Jordanian population. Thus, we recommend maintenance acid suppression following standard H. pylori eradication regimen to maintain remission.
Alzoubi
Karem
K
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid. khalzoubi@just.edu.jo
Rashdan
Abdullah
A
Al-Dayyat
Amjaad
A
Al-Safi
Saafan
S
D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055502:Secondary Prevention
D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors