title: Importance of post-treatment follow-up to secure sufficient eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To optimize the care for Helicobacter pylori-associated diseases, we wanted to evaluate the completeness of follow-up after H. pylori eradication therapy in a single Danish endoscopy unit. Furthermore, the eradication rates and possible clinical characteristics associated with failure of eradication therapy were considered.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who tested positive for H. pylori infection using a rapid urease test (RUT) during a three-year period were evaluated retrospectively according to demographics, eradication rate, type of eradication therapy, endoscopic findings and number of former attempts of eradication therapy. RUT-positive patients without a post-treatment evaluation were invited for a urea breath test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall H. pylori infection rate was 15% (117/796). Only 48/105 (46%) patients had a post-treatment examination to test the effect of H. pylori eradication therapy. The eradication rate by first-line therapy was 75% (58/77). The second-line eradication rate was 87%. 94% (72/77) had the recommended standard triple therapy for first-line eradication therapy. The number of former eradication attempts was the only clinical characteristic that significantly predicted failure of eradication therapy. Among patients with H. pylori-positive peptic ulcer, 21/28 (75%) achieved successful eradication after first-line treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Organised follow-up regimes are recommended, especially in patients with absolute treatment indications with a view to optimizing the care for patients infected with H. pylori.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Amager Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: Stine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roug
authors.forename: Lone Galmstrup
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Madsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000379:methods; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014510:Urease
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014510:Urease