title: Is maintenance acid suppression necessary to reduce the rate of reinfection with Helicobacter pylori?
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid. khalzoubi@just.edu.jo
authors.forename: Karem
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alzoubi
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rashdan
authors.forename: Amjaad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Dayyat
authors.forename: Saafan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Safi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D006635:Histamine H2 Antagonists; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors