title: Will H. pylori stagger under the weight of this LOAD? A novel but expensive eradication regimen.
abstract: In the era of increasing Helicobacter pylori resistance to clarithromycin and metronidazole used in standard treatments, newer well-tolerated regimens with high eradication success rates in practice are urgently needed. In this edition of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, a clinical trial of a novel drug combination is presented, demonstrating significantly more success in comparison with a standard "triple therapy." The new regimen (referred to as LOAD) comprises three antibiotics, levofloxaxin, doxycycline, and nitazoxanide, together with omeprazole. The LOAD regimen had around a 90% eradication rate compared with only 73% with a standard "triple therapy" regimen of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and lansoprazole. The use of this relatively expensive novel drug combination would represent an absolute increased eradication rate of 17%, with a number needed to treat to achieve one more successful eradication of 5.88. Results from this preliminary study should prompt further evaluation of LOAD in rigorously designed clinical studies.
authors: James B
authors: JB
authors: Watson
authors: Steven F
authors: SF
authors: Moss
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000897:Anti-Ulcer Agents; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors