EFFECTS OF LANSOPRAZOLE PLUS AMOXICILLIN ON THE CURE OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION IN JAPANESE PEPTIC-ULCER PATIENTS

Aim: The effect of lansoprazole plus amoxycillin on curing Helicobacte r pylori infection and peptic ulcer recurrence was evaluated. Method: The study group was composed of 68 patients with gastric ulcers and 51 with duodenal ulcers, all were H. pylori-positive. The participants w ere assigned at random to the lansoprazole alone group (lansoprazole 3 0 mg o.m. for 6 or 8 weeks) or the lansoprazole plus amoxycillin group (lansoprazole alone regimen plus amoxycillin at 500 mg q.d.s. concomi tantly for the first 2 weeks). Healed patients were not given maintena nce treatment with acid secretion inhibitors. The cure rate for H. pyl ori infection and the ulcer recurrence rate after 1 year were investig ated. Result: The cure rate for H. pylori infection was 4.2% in patien ts receiving lansoprazole alone and 38.5% in patients receiving lansop razole plus amoxycillin (P < 0.01) for gastric ulcers, and 0% in patie nts receiving lansoprazole alone and 61.9% in patients receiving lanso prazole plus amoxycillin (P < 0.001) for duodenal ulcers. The recurren ce rate was 42.3% in patients receiving lansoprazole alone and 28.6% i n patients receiving lansoprazole plus amoxycillin for gastric ulcers, and 66.7% for patients receiving lansoprazole alone and 11.1% for pat ients receiving lansoprazole plus amoxycillin (P < 0.001) for duodenal ulcers, None of the patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers cured of H. pylori infection had a recurrence. Conclusion: Concomitant use of lansoprazole and amoxycillin increased the curative effects on H. pylo ri infection. However, the cure rates with this regimen remained inade quate.