Effect of addition of vitamin C to clarithromycin-amoxicillin-omeprazol triple regimen on Helicobacter pylori eradication.
BACKGROUND
The use of vitamin C as a supplement with the common regimen for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection is the subject of ongoing controversy. We conducted a prospective controlled study with the aim of testing whether the vitamin C supplement to the therapy includes lower dosage of clarithromycin could have an acceptable influence on Helicobacter pylori eradication in comparison with routine anti-Helicobacter pylori regimen.


METHODS
Two hundred and fourteen consecutive patients with the verification of Helicobacter pylori infection via positive Rapid Urease Test (RUT) and histology results were included and divided into two therapy groups: 1) a group without vitamin C (n = 100) that were administered 20 mg omeprazol, 1 g amoxicillin, and 500 mg clarithromycin twice daily for 2 weeks and 2) a triple-plus-vitamin C group (n = 114) that was administered 20 mg omeprazol, 1 g amoxicillin, 250 mg clarithromycin plus 250 mg vitamin C twice daily for 2 weeks. Four weeks after the completion of therapy, each patient was scheduled for urea breath test to assess the success of Helicobacter pylori eradication.


RESULTS
Similar eradication of Helicobacter pylori was found between the triple-only group with 500 mg of clarithromycin and the triple with 250 mg of clarithromycin-plus vitamin C group (89% versus 86.8%, P = 0.623).


CONCLUSIONS
Adding vitamin C might reduce the needed dosage of clarithromycin for eradication of Helicobacter pylori.
Kaboli
Seyed Alireza
SA
Research Center for Gastroenterology and Liver disease, Shaheed Beheshti University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran. swt_f@yahoo.com
Zojaji
Homayon
H
Mirsattari
Dariush
D
Talaie
Ramin
R
Derakhshan
Faramarz
F
Zali
Mohammad Reza
MR
Sheikhvatan
Mehrdad
M
D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009853:Omeprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014815:Vitamins / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D014815:Vitamins; D000658:Amoxicillin; D017291:Clarithromycin; D009853:Omeprazole; D001205:Ascorbic Acid