title: Fourteen-day optimized levofloxacin-based therapy versus classical quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori treatment failures: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the efficacy of lansoprazole, bismuth, levofloxacin, and amoxicillin therapy compared to bismuth metronidazole tetracycline (BMT) quadruple therapy for second-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 284 patients who failed prior H. pylori eradication were randomized to receive 14-day regimens containing lansoprazole 30 mg twice a day (b.i.d.), bismuth subcitrate 240 mg b.i.d., and either amoxcillin, 1 g b.i.d. and levofloxacin 500 mg once daily (qd) (levofloxacin/bismuth therapy) or metronidazole 400 mg four times daily (q.i.d.) and tetracycline, 500 mg q.i.d. (BMT quadruple therapy). Endoscopy and culture were performed before treatment. Antimicrobial susceptibility was by agar dilution. H. pylori status was determined 6 weeks after the end of therapy using a (13)C-urea breath test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The metronidazole, levofloxacin, tetracycline, and amoxicillin resistance rates were 85.3%, 40.2%, 1.1%, and 0.5%, respectively. The intention-to-treat and per-protocol (PP) eradication rates were 83% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 75.9-88.3%) and 88.1% (95% CI: 81.2-92.4%) (p = 0.22) for levofloxacin-bismuth (levo-bismuth) versus BMT quadruple, respectively, and PP rates were 85.4% (95% CI: 78.5-90.3%) and 90.6% (95% CI: 84.6-94.5%) (p = 0.18). Moderate and severe side effects were significantly higher with BMT quadruple than levo-bismuth (22.4% vs. 5%, p < 0.001) and higher in women (28.4%) than men (10.4%) in BMT quadruple therapy group (p = 0.015).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing fluoroquinolone resistance has undermined levo-bismuth quadruple therapy making BMT quadruple therapy a better choice empiric second-line therapy for H. pylori infection. However, compliance was significantly higher with levo-bismuth quadruple therapy, especially among women.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease , Shanghai , China.
authors.forename: Zhijun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Jingxian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Wenzhong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Shudong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001729:Bismuth / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000382:microbiology; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000379:methods; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016480:Helicobacter pylori / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D064747:Lansoprazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D064704:Levofloxacin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D064747:Lansoprazole; D008795:Metronidazole; D064704:Levofloxacin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D001729:Bismuth
keywords: Helicobacter pylori; bismuth; drug therapy; levofloxacin; quadruple therapy