SELECTION OF PATIENTS FOR TREATMENT OF DUODENAL-ULCER INFECTED WITH HELICOBACTER-PYLORI

Ninety patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer were followe d for 1 year. All patients were initially treated with an H-2-receptor antagonist. Those with more than two relapses within 1 year received triple therapy consisting of colloidal bismuth subcitrate, amoxicillin , and metronidazole. Results showed that 27 patients were symptom-free after one full course of H-2 antagonist, 47 had one or two clinical r ecurrences, and 16 patients had more than two recurrences. Twelve of t he latter group were Helicobacter pylori positive and were treated wit h triple therapy. We conclude that only a minority of duodenal ulcer p atients needs to be treated with triple therapy; most of them can be t reated with antisecretory agents.