Factors affecting the variation in antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori over a 3-year period

Strains of Helicobacter pylori, isolated from 300 patients between 1996 and 2000 were tested for their sensitivity to clarithromycin, metronidazole ac id amoxycillin. Primary resistances (95% CI) were 9.7% for clarithromycin a nd 21.7% for metronidazole. No strains were resistant to amoxycillin. There was no significant difference between the number of resistant strains in t he male and female groups. Clarithromycin resistance was more common in old er patients (P < 0.01) and metronidazole resistance was more common in pati ents with peptic ulcer compared with patients with chronic gastritis (P < 0 .05). Logistic regression analysis confirmed these results. (C) 2000 Elsevi er Science B.V. and International Society of Chemotherapy. All rights reser ved.