Empirical levofloxacin-containing versus clarithromycin-containing sequential therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: a randomised trial.
OBJECTIVE
Antimicrobial drug resistance is a major cause of the failure of Helicobacter pylori eradication and is largely responsible for the decline in eradication rate. Quadruple therapy has been suggested as a first-line regimen in areas with clarithromycin resistance rate >15%. This randomised trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of a levofloxacin-containing sequential regimen in the eradication of H pylori-infected patients in a geographical area with >15% prevalence of clarithromycin resistance versus a clarithromycin containing sequential therapy.


METHODS
375 patients who were infected with H pylori and naïve to treatment were randomly assigned to one of the following treatments: (1) 5 days omeprazole 20 mg twice daily + amoxicillin 1 g twice daily followed by 5 days omeprazole 20 mg twice daily +clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily + tinidazole 500 mg twice daily; or (2) omeprazole 20 mg twice daily +amoxicillin 1 g twice daily followed by omeprazole 20 mg twice daily + levofloxacin 250 mg twice daily +tinidazole 500 mg twice daily; or (3) omeprazole 20 mg twice daily + amoxicillin 1 g twice daily followed by omeprazole 20 mg twice daily + levofloxacin 500 mg twice daily + tinidazole 500 mg twice daily. Antimicrobial resistance was assessed by the E-test. Efficacy, adverse events and costs were determined for each group.


RESULTS
Eradication rates in the intention-to-treat analyses were 80.8% (95% CI, 72.8% to 87.3%) with clarithromycin sequential therapy, 96.0% (95% CI, 90.9%to 98.7%) with levofloxacin-250 sequential therapy, and 96.8% (95% CI, 92.0% to 99.1%) with levofloxacin-500 sequential therapy. No differences in prevalence of antimicrobial resistance or incidence of adverse events were observed between groups. Levofloxacin-250 therapy was cost-saving compared with clarithromycin sequential therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
In an area with >15% prevalence of clarithromycin resistant H pylori strains, a levofloxacin containing sequential therapy is more effective, equally safe and cost-saving compared to a clarithromycin containing sequential therapy.
Romano
Marco
M
Dipartimento Medico, AziendaOspedaliera Universitaria,Seconda Universita di Napoli,Napoli, Italy. marco.romano@unina2.it
Cuomo
Antonio
A
Gravina
Antonietta G
AG
Miranda
Agnese
A
Iovene
Maria Rosaria
MR
Tiso
Angelo
A
Sica
Mariano
M
Rocco
Alba
A
Salerno
Raffaele
R
Marmo
Riccardo
R
Federico
Alessandro
A
Nardone
Gerardo
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D064704:Levofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin; D017291:Clarithromycin