TREATMENT OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION WITH OMEPRAZOLE AMOXICILLIN COMBINATION THERAPY VERSUS RANITIDINE SODIUM BICARBONATE-AMOXICILLIN

Objectives: Simpler, effective therapies to treat Helicobacter pylori infection are greatly needed, Omeprazole co-therapy apparently enhance s effectiveness of some antimicrobials, Our objective in this study wa s to determine whether the apparent additional benefit provided by ome prazole to amoxicillin therapy could be equaled by a high dose of rani tidine plus sodium bicarbonate. Methods: In a prospective randomized t rial, we tested 1 g amoxicillin b.i.d. with either omeprazole 20 mg b. i.d,, or high dose ranitidine (900 and 1800 mg) plus sodium bicarbonat e tablets 650 t,i,d, (with meals) for 14 day, Results: Fifty-two patie nts with documented H. pylori infection and peptic ulcer completed the rapy, The cure rate with omeprazole and amoxicillin was poor (46%), wi th the 95% confidence interval (CI) = 25-67%, Ranitidine plus sodium b icarbonate was also poor (39% cure) with the 95% CI = 21.5-59% (p > 0. 57), Average compliance was more than 92% for all three groups. Side e ffects were experienced in only two patients (stomatitis and mild diar rhea), Conclusion: Neither the omeprazole nor ranitidine plus bicarbon ate plus amoxicillin therapies used here can be recommended for treatm ent of H. pylori infection.