title: Levofloxacin and proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy versus standard triple first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Standard triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection fails in up to one quarter of patients. Levofloxacin-based triple therapy may be more efficacious.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper was to compare levofloxacin and proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy with standard triple therapy for H. pylori infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, Google Scholar, and Ovid were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials comparing levofloxacin and proton pump inhibitor-based therapy with standard triple therapy in treatment-naive patients with H. pylori infection until August 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ten randomized controlled trials involving 2676 patients (1357 in the levofloxacin group and 1319 in the control group) met the inclusion criteria. The pooled odds ratio by intention-to-treat analysis and by per protocol analysis in the levofloxacin regimen versus standard regimen was 1.28 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88-1.85] and 1.23 (95% CI: 0.82-1.84) by the random effects model, respectively. There was no statistical significance of the incidence of total side effects between the groups, but levofloxacin-based therapy was associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of taste disturbance compared with standard third therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Levofloxacin-based therapy was as safe and effective as triple therapy for H. pylori infection and could be considered as an additional treatment option. However, more rigorous research is required to accurately assess the role of levofloxacin in eradicating H. pylori infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, ZhuJiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Luohu People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
authors.forename: Chen-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Guo-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Shuai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Yan-Na
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Ying-Bo
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Zhong-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D064704:Levofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D064704:Levofloxacin
keywords: Helicobacter pylori; eradication; levofloxacin; meta-analysis; pharmacoepidemiology