WEEKEND THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of a short-term regimen (weekend therapy) in the cure o f Helicobacter pylori infection and to analyze the factors that may in fluence the success of the treatment. Methods: Seventy-one patients wi th gastric colonization by a tinidazole sensitive H. pylori strain (34 duodenal ulcer and 37 nonulcer dyspepsia) received omeprazole 40 mg o .m. for 7 days (from Monday to Sunday) and bismuth 240 mg q.i.d. + amo xicillin 1000 mg/q.i.d. + tinidazole 500 mg q.i.d. for only 2 days (Sa turday and Sunday). Endoscopy, histology, culture, urease test, and su sceptibility studies were done at entry and 30 days after treatment. R esults: Successful eradication was obtained in 84% of patients. The pe rcentage of eradication was higher in duodenal ulcer patients (94%) th an in those,vith nonulcer dyspepsia (74%; p < 0.05), and in patients w ho received the treatment during hot weather (94%) than in those who r eceived the treatment during cold weather (74%; p < 0.05). Side-effect s were induced by the treatment in 17% of patients, and these mere all not severe, self-limiting, short-lasting, and did not require specifi c treatment. Conclusions: These data suggested that weekend therapy ,v ith high doses of drugs represents an effective, safe, and inexpensive therapeutic approach for the treatment of H. pylori infection, partic ularly in patients with duodenal ulcer. Furthermore, they also confirm the relevant role that short-term treatments may play in the therapeu tic approach to H. pylori infection, and highlight some important aspe cts influencing short-term schedules. (C) 1998 by Am. Coll. of Gastroe nterology.