title: Meta-analysis: Sequential therapy is superior to conventional therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Conventional triple therapy (CT) for Helicobacter pylori infection fails in up to one-third of patients. Sequential therapy (ST) seem be more effective than CT in other countries. However, there is no systemic literature review that directly compares CT and ST in Korea. The aim of this study was to compare ST with CT for H. pylori infection in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six randomized, prospective controlled trials were used to compare 10-day ST and 7- to 14-day CT in treatment-naive patients with documented H. pylori infection in Korea. Pooled eradication rates and OR with 95% CI were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The intention-to-treat eradication rates of H. pylori involving 1,529 patients were 79.7% (95% CI, 76.8-82.5%) for ST (n=754) and 68.1% (95% CI, 64.8-71.4%) for CT (n=775) (OR, 1.838; p<0.001). The per-protocol eradication rate of H. pylori involving 1,366 patients was 86.4% (95% CI, 83.3-88.5%) for ST (n=682) and 76.0% (95% CI, 72.8-79.2%) for CT (n=684) (OR, 1.974; p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ten-day ST was superior to CT in terms of eradicating H. pylori infection. Therefore, ST should be considered as a first-line therapy in Korea. However, ST did not achieve a sufficient eradication rate. More effective therapy should be developed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Jun-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Minsu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Sung-Cheol
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Jung Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Yoon Jae
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyoung Oh
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kwang An
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Dong Kyun
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Dong Ho
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011446:Prospective Studies; D056910:Republic of Korea; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents