HELICOBACTER-PYLORI ERADICATION USING A 7-DAY REGIMEN OF LOW-DOSE CLARITHROMYCIN, LANSOPRAZOLE AND AMOXICILLIN

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of a 7-day regimen of clarithromycin 250 mg b.d., amoxycillin 1 g b.d., and lansoprazole 30 mg b.d. as a treat ment for Helicobacter pylori infection. Methods: H. pylori status of d yspeptic patients was assessed by C-13-urea breath test and at endosco py by histology, culture and rapid urease testing of gastric biopsies. Fifty-one H. pylori-positive patients were treated with the above reg imen. H. pylori status was reassessed by C-13-urea breath test not les s than 28 days after completing treatment. Adverse events and complian ce were evaluated. Results: On an intention-to-treat basis, H. pylori infection was cured in 77% (95% CI: 65-88%) of patients. Minor side-ef fects including diarrhoea, nausea and taste disturbance were reported by 64% of patients. Ninety-fine per cent of patients consumed > 95% of tablets. Metronidazole resistance was 29% but all cultures were sensi tive to amoxycillin and clarithromycin. Conclusion: This 7-day treatme nt with low-dose clarithromycin was moderately effective in curing H. pylori infection. Although compliance was excellent, there was a high frequency of minor adverse events.