LOW-DOSE OMEPRAZOLE PLUS CLARITHROMYCIN AND EITHER TINIDAZOLE OR AMOXICILLIN FOR HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

Background: The aim of our study was to compare two 1-week, low-dose t riple therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication. Methods: One hund red consecutive patients, suffering from dyspeptic symptoms with H. py lori infection, were randomly allocated to 7 days of treatment with om eprazole 20 mg o.m. plus clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. and either tinidaz ole 500 mg b.d. (group A: n = 50, 19 with peptic ulcer) or amoxycillin 1000 mg b.d. (group B: n = 50, 20 with peptic ulcer). H. pylori-statu s was evaluated by means of histology, culture and urease test, at ent ry and 8 weeks after treatment.Results: Three patients did not complet e the treatment. H. pylori eradication was obtained in 35 patients fro m group A (73%) (95% CI, 55-82%) and in 40 patients from group B (82%) (95% CI, 66-90%). On intention-to-treat analysis, the rates of eradic ation were similar. Side-effects occurred in seven patients from group A (14.58%) and in four patients from group B (8.33%), but none discon tinued therapy because of side-effects. Conclusion: Both triple 1-week , low-dose omeprazole therapies gave good eradication rates with infre quent side-effects.