title: Clarithromycin-amoxycillin-containing triple therapy: a valid empirical first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Hong Kong?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent studies have suggested the eradication rate for Helicobacter pylori infection with standard amoxycillin-clarithromycin-containing triple therapy as first-line treatment have fallen below 80%. Levofloxacin-containing triple therapy was proposed as an alternative. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and tolerability of the standard 7-day clarithromycin-containing triple therapy against the 7-day levofloxacin-containing triple therapy, and to assess whether the classical triple therapy is still valid as empirical first-line treatment for H. pylori infection in Hong Kong.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred consecutive H. pylori-positive patients were randomized to receive either 1 week of EAL (esomeprazole 20 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d., and levofloxacin 500 mg daily) or EAC (esomeprazole 20 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d., and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d.). H. pylori status was rechecked by (13)C-urea breath test 6 weeks after treatment. Patients who failed either of the first-line eradication therapy were invited to undergo H. pylori susceptibility testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  H. pylori eradication was achieved in 128 of 150 (85.3%) patients in EAL and 139 of 150 (92.7%) patients in EAC groups, respectively (p = .043), for both intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis. More patients in the clarithromycin- than the levofloxacin-containing therapy group developed side effects from the medication (21.3% vs 13.3%, p = .060). Nine patients (six from the EAL group and three from the EAC group) who failed their corresponding eradication therapy returned for susceptibility testing. All nine isolates were highly resistant to levofloxacin (minimum inhibitory concentration or MIC > 32 microg/mL), whereas only two of the six isolates from the EAL group were resistant to clarithromycin (MIC > 0.5 microg/mL).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The standard 7-day clarithromycin-containing triple therapy is still valid as the most effective empirical first-line eradication therapy for H. pylori infection in Hong Kong, as prevalence of primary resistance of H. pylori to amoxycillin and clarithromycin remains low. Patients who failed their empirical first-line eradication therapy should undergo H. pylori susceptibility testing to guide further treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Ivan F N
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Fion S Y
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: But
authors.forename: Wai Kay
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Seto
authors.forename: Siu Yin
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Chi Kuen
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.forename: Teresa S M
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Ting Kin
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Cheung
authors.forename: Kent Man
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Benjamin C Y
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D064098:Esomeprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D064704:Levofloxacin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D015242:Ofloxacin; D017291:Clarithromycin; D064098:Esomeprazole