TREATMENT OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION - AN EVALUATION OF VARIOUSTHERAPEUTIC TRIALS

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of several regimens directed ag ainst Helicobacter pylori. Design: A series of open studies concerning 850 courses of anti-H. pylori therapy. Setting: Outpatient department in a large university hospital. Patients: Patients who underwent endo scopy because of dyspeptic complaints with or without endoscopic evide nce of peptic ulceration. Main outcome measures: Culture and histology of antral biopsy specimens for determination of H. pylori status. Res ults: Monotherapy with colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS) or antibioti cs resulted in eradication rates of 8-24%. Combinations of CBS and one antibiotic eradicated H. pylori in 11-69% of patients. If CBS was com bined with two antibiotics, eradication rates of 39-85% were obtained. Omeprazole combined with amoxycillin/clavulanate eradicated H. pylori in 55% of patients. The presence of metronidazole-resistant strains p redicted a poor outcome for therapies containing metronidazole. Conclu sions: Although H. pylori infection can be treated effectively, a simp le, safe and efficient regimen has yet to be developed.