Evaluation of a new ultrashort triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori disease

Background: 1-week proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapies are conside red the most effective and convenient drug combinations for curing Helicoba cter pylori infection. Short therapies, lasting less than 1 week have been investigated rarely. Aim: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of a 3-day lansoprazole triple therapy after 1 day of lansoprazole pre-treatment. Methods: Seventy H. pylori-positive (rapid urease test and histology) patie nts received LAzT3 regimen (lanzoprazole 30 mg b.d. and azithromycin 500 mg o.m. for 3 days; tinidazole 2000 mg o.m, on day 1 and 1000 mg o.m, on days 2-3) after 1 day of lansoprazole pretreatment. Patients with active ulcer received lansoprazole 30 mg o.m, for an additional 4 weeks. Follow-up gastr oscopy was carried out 4-6 weeks after completion of therapy. Eradication w as defined as negative histology and rapid urease test. Results: Four patients failed to attend the follow-up endoscopy, One patien t complained of minor side-effects. H. pylori was eradicated in 57 of 66 pa tients suitable for evaluation, with a per-protocol cure rate of 86.3% (95% CI: 76-94%), and an intention-to-treat cure rate of 81.4% (95%CI: 70-90%). Conclusions: This new ultrashort triple therapy including lansoprazole, azi thromycin and tinidazole seems to be effective in eradicating H. pylori. It is safe and well-tolerated, and may be taken into consideration as a valid alternative to the better known and widely used 1-week proton pump inhibit or-based triple therapies.