ONE-WEEK LOW-DOSE TRIPLE THERAPY VS 2-WEEK MEDIUM-DOSE DOUBLE THERAPYFOR HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

Background/Aims: Our study is to compare a shortterm low-dose triple t herapy with a Long-term medium-dose double therapy for H. pylori eradi cation. Materials and Methods: One hundred and ten consecutive patient s, suffering from dyspeptic symptoms, with H. pylori infection, were r andomly allocated to one of the following 2 groups with different ther apeutic regimens: A) omeprazole 20 mg/day for 7 days, tinidazole 500 m g bid for 7 days, clarithromycin 250 mg bid for 7 days (55 pts, 20 wit h peptic ulcer); B) omeprazole 20 mg bid for 14 days, amoxycillin. 100 0 mg bid for 14 days (55 pts, 28 with peptic ulcer). The ''H.pylori st atus'' was evaluated by means of histology, culture and crease test, a t entry and 8 weeks after treatment. Results: Two group A and one grou p B pts didn't complete the treatment. The H.pylori eradication was ob tained in 38 pts of group A (71.69%) (C.I.95%: 55.19176-80.86293), in 31 of group B (58.49%) (C.I.95%: 42.32777-69.7017); on. Intention-to-T reat analysis, the rate of-eradication gave similar results. Side effe cts occurred in 9 pts of group A (16.98%), in 8 of group B (14.81%). C onclusions: Short-term low-dose triple therapy with omeprazole/tinidaz ole/clarithromycin has a better cost/benefit ratio than long-term dual therapy with omeprazole/amoxycillin in the H.pylori eradication, but it causes more side-effects.