EFFECT OF METRONIDAZOLE RESISTANCE ON BACTERIAL ERADICATION OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI IN INFECTED CHILDREN

A prospective study was performed with 23 Helicobacter pylori-infected children (mean age, 9.5 +/- 4.4 years) with clinical symptoms of gast ritis and positive results of culture and histologic examination of ga stric biopsy specimens to evaluate the influence of antibiotic resista nce on eradication, Positive children were treated for 4 weeks with la nsoprazole and for 2 weeks with either amoxicillin-metronidazole or sp iramycin (a macrolide)metronidazole. At endoscopy 1 month after the di scontinuation of therapy, the eradication rate and improve ment of his tologically related gastritis were significantly dependent on the susc eptibility or the resistance of the infecting organism to metronidazol e (83 versus 17% and 88 versus 16.6%, respectively). Pretreatment dete rmination of the susceptibility is appropriate in any anti-H, pylori r egimen, including one with metronidazole.