title: Does the urea breath test predict eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Helicobacter pylori infection is common world-wide and has been linked to development of gastric and duodenal ulcers, gastric adenocarcinoma, and gastric lymphoma. However, antimicrobial resistance has decreased H. pylori eradication rates worldwide. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of -bacterial load on eradication rate.
  
  
  METHODS
  This prospective study included 237 consecutive patients who presented to our institution with dyspeptic symptoms and underwent both upper endoscopy and urea breath tests (UBT). The patients were divided into three equal sized groups according to their UBT values. All subjects received a standard triple eradication regimen, followed by a bismuth- based quadruple eradication regimen if triple eradication was not successful. The three groups were compared with respect to age, endoscopic findings, sex, and eradication rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results were consistent with those of previous studies : higher UBT values were associated with failure of standard 14-day triple treatment (p < 0.05). However, in patients who received a quadruple eradication regimen, differences between groups were not significant (p = 0.434). There was no relationship between UBT values and gastric pathologies (p = 0.751). Age and sex also did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.061).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study and others have found that high bacterial loads are negatively associated with achievement of eradication with triple treatment. However, differences between groups were not significant in patients who received a quadruple eradication regimen. Comparisons of treatment results according to bacterial density may be informative. The importance of H. pylori density should be further evaluated with new treatment protocols.
authors: G K
authors: GK
authors: Unler
authors: G T
authors: GT
authors: Ozgur
authors: H S
authors: HS
authors: Gokturk
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Durukan
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Erhamamci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001944:Breath Tests; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D064747:Lansoprazole / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014508:Urea / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D054328:Proton Pump Inhibitors; D064747:Lansoprazole; D000658:Amoxicillin; D014508:Urea; D017291:Clarithromycin