Helicobacter pylori-associated peptic ulcer disease in older patients - Current management strategies

The incidence of peptic ulcer and its severe complications, i.e. bleeding o r perforation, is increasing in elderly patients worldwide. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients with peptic ulcer aged over 65 years has been reported to range from 58 to 78%. However, in elderly patie nts hospitalised for ulcer disease, the rate of diagnostic screening or tre atment for H. pylori infection was less than 60%, and only 50 to 73% of pat ients who had a positive H, pylori test were treated with antibacterials. The eradication of H. pylori infection is known to be of proven benefit for elderly patients with H. pylori-associated ulcer disease. Significant impr ovement of the clinical outcome, and reduction of ulcer recurrences, sympto ms and histological signs of ulcer-associated chronic gastritis activity, a s well as decreased costs in elderly healthcare, all result from successful therapy. Proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-based triple therapy regimens includi ng clarithromycin, amoxicillin and/or nitroimidazoles are highly effective and well tolerated in elderly patients, particularly if therapy is of a sho rt duration and low doses of both the PPI and clarithromycin are used. Resistance of H. pylori to antibacterials and low compliance are the major reasons for treatment failure. Surveillance of H. pylori susceptibility to antibacterials at the regional level and enhanced compliance programmes giv e promising results that suggest new approaches to anti-H. pylori treatment , especially in elderly patients. The role of H. pylori infection in nonste roidal anti-inflammatory drug (NS AID)-related peptic ulcer still remains c ontroversial. At present, no clear evidence supports the testing and treatm ent of H. pylori infection for the prevention of drug-related peptic ulcer in elderly patients receiving an NSAID or aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). After therapy, elderly patients with peptic ulcer may be re-evaluated by in vasive methods, i.e. endoscopy and gastric biopsies, or by noninvasive meth ods. In elderly patients, the C-13-urea breath test demonstrated significan tly higher sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy fur detecting H . pylori infection than anti-H. pylori antibodies.