Recent guidelines for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection

The guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori infection have been developed in Europe, United States, Asia, and Japan. Each guideline is characteristic in recommended indication, diagnostic method, and eradication regimen, because it depends on different background of medical situation. Two guidelines were reported in 2000. One is Maastricht 2-2000 consensus report, another is the guideline of Japanese Society for Helicobacter Research. In this article, European and Japanese recent statement for the management of H. pylori infection were introduced to reveal the differences in indication, diagnosis, and treatment between both guidelines.     

Diagnosis and management of Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori infects more than half of the world's population, making it one of the most prevalent infections. H pylori is now accepted as the most common cause of histologic gastritis and is responsible for the majority of cases of peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. Approximately 1 in 6 (17%) persons with H pylori infection will develop peptic ulcer disease, and each year 1% to 2% of these will experience a major or life-threatening complication, such as bleeding, perforation, or gastric outlet obstruction. Peptic ulcer disease should no longer be regarded as a chronic, recurring, lifelong disease, but rather as a curable infectious disease. The diagnosis and therapy of this common infectious disorder have become increasingly straightforward. In this article, we discuss the possible outcomes of long-standing infection, the various diagnostic tests available, including whom and when to test, and the combination drug regimens approved for cure.     

Guidelines for the management of Helicobacter pylori--Maastricht III-2005 and Japanese guidelines

The guidelines on the management of Helicobacter pylori were updated at the European Helicobacter study group third Maastricht consensus conference in March 2005. Especially, this conference emphasis on the management of non ulcer dyspepsia, GERD, and the patients who use non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Eradication of H. pylori is recommended in patients with peptic ulcer, low grade MALT lymphoma, atrophic gastritis, unexplained iron deficiency anemia, chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and first degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer. H. pylori eradication is less effective than proton pomp inhibitor(PPI) treatment in preventing ulcer recurrence in long term NSAIDs users. This meeting also emphasized on the relationship between H. pylori and gastric cancer. The guideline concluded that H. pylori eradication has the potential to reduce the risk of gastric cancer development. Japanese guideline in 2003 does not mention the effect of eradication for prevention of gastric cancer. The H. pylori eradication and new strategy should be desirable for global strategy of gastric cancer prevention.     

Randomized comparison of two rescue therapies for Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND: Bismuth salts are not available worldwide. It remains unknown whether clarithromycin can replace bismuth salts as an adjuvant agent in the rescue regimens for Helicobacter pylori infection. We therefore designed the prospective study to compare the efficacies of two rescue therapies for H. pylori infection after standard triple therapies. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Ninety-three patients who failed H. pylori eradication using proton pump inhibitor plus clarithromycin and amoxicillin were randomly assigned to undergo rescue therapy with esomeprazole, clarithromycin, tetracycline and metronidazole (ECTM group, n = 46) or esomeprazole, bismuth subcitrate, tetracycline and metronidazole (EBTM group, n = 47). Follow-up endoscopy was performed at 8 weeks after the end of treatment to assess the treatment response. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated both groups had similar eradication rates (ECTM 74% vs. EBTM 77%; P = 0.76) and drug compliance (ECTM 94% vs. EBTM 96%; P = 0.68). However, the frequency of adverse events in the ECTM group was higher than that in EBTM group (ECTM 57% vs. EBTM 36%, P = 0.05). In the EBTM group, eradication rate of metronidazole-resistant strains was lower than that of metronidazole-susceptible strains (67%[8/12] vs. 100%[9/9], P = 0.05). However, eradication rates were similar between metronidazole-susceptible and metronidazole-resistant strains in ECTM group (69%[9/13] vs. 70%[7/10], P = 1.00). CONCLUSIONS: The new ECTM second-line therapy can achieve similar eradication rate as standard EBTM therapy. It may be very useful in countries where bismuth salts are not available.     

Helicobacter pylori infection in Finland

Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastritis worldwide and it is the most important single factor in peptic ulcer disease. Up to half of H. pylori infected individuals develop atrophic gastritis over years and decades. H. pylori infection has also been classified as a class I carcinogen in human gastric cancer. Most infections are obtained in childhood, in Finland mainly before the age of 7 years but the exact transmission routes are not known. The infection shows an age-dependent pattern, the infection being rare among children but gradually becoming more prevalent among older age groups. As new infections are few in adults and the infection only rarely disappears without effective anti-microbial therapy, the occurrence of the infection in the old actually reflects the prevalence of the infection in their childhood. In developed countries, such as Finland, a rapid decline of H. pylori prevalence rate has been demonstrated. In order to speed up this natural decline of the infection, a unique population based 'screen and treat' project was started in Vammala, a semiurban south-western community in Finland. In this survey, young inhabitants were offered diagnosis and treatment for H. pylori.     

Helicobacter pylori infection in Finland

Helicobacter pylori causes chronic gastritis worldwide and it is the most important single factor in peptic ulcer disease. Up to half of H. pylori infected individuals develop atrophic gastritis over years and decades. H. pylori infection has also been classified as a class I carcinogen in human gastric cancer. Most infections are obtained in childhood, in Finland mainly before the age of 7 years but the exact transmission routes are not known. The infection shows an age‐dependent pattern, the infection being rare among children but gradually becoming more prevalent among older age groups. As new infections are few in adults and the infection only rarely disappears without effective antimicrobial therapy, the occurrence of the infection in the old actually reflects the prevalence of the infection in their childhood. In developed countries, such as Finland, a rapid decline of H. pylori prevalence rate has been demonstrated. In order to speed up this natural decline of the infection, a unique population based ‘screen and treat’ project was started in Vammala, a semiurban south‐western community in Finland. In this survey, young inhabitants were offered diagnosis and treatment for H. pylori.     

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori infection has been shown to be the principal cause of peptic ulcer disease and has been associated with MALT lymphoma and gastric cancer. Eradication of H. pylori has been shown to change the natural history of peptic ulcer disease by preventing relapse and to reduce health care expenditures when compared with traditional therapy. Two-drug regimens have been superceded by three-drug regimens because they are more effective in eradication. Therapies with the highest efficacy are cost-effective because failed eradication is associated with high costs.     

Management of Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori is the cause of peptic ulcer, gastric cancer and gastric lymphoma. Diagnosis of H. pylori infection can be made using invasive and noninvasive tests. Invasive tests based on endoscopy, such as histology, are recommended when a gastric malignancy is suspected. Alternatively, noninvasive tests, such as the urea breath test and stool tests are useful for H. pylori diagnosis and follow-up. Triple therapy with either amoxicillin or metronidazole, clarithromycin and proton pump inhibitor given twice daily for 7–14 days is the recommended first-line treatment, after having checked the individual clarithromycin antimicrobial susceptibility. A triple therapy with levofloxacin, amoxicillin and proton pump inhibitor for 10–14 days should be used as second-line treatment, where the strains are susceptible to fluoroquinolone. Alternatively, bismuth-based quadruple therapy is recommended.     

Management of Helicobacter pylori infection

Helicobacter pylori is the cause of most peptic ulcer disease and a primary risk factor for gastric cancer. Eradication of the organism results in ulcer healing and reduces the risk of ulcer recurrence and complications. Testing and treatment have no clear value in patients with documented nonulcer dyspepsia; however, a test-and-treat strategy is recommended but for patients with undifferentiated dyspepsia who have not undergone endoscopy. In the office setting, initial serology testing is practical and affordable, with endoscopy reserved for use in patients with alarm symptoms for ulcer complications or cancer, or those who do not respond to treatment. Treatment involves 10- to 14-day multidrug regimens including antibiotics and acid suppressants, combined with education about avoidance of other ulcer-causing factors and the need for close follow-up. Follow-up testing (i.e., urea breath or stool antigen test) is recommended for patients who do not respond to therapy or those with a history of ulcer complications or cancer.     

Diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection

Peptic ulcer in elderly patients may be associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. Diagnosis for H. pylori infection should be needed in these patients. The test may be resulted in false negative in case of invasive diagnostic methods based gastric biopsy, because atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia developed in patients may not be able to detect scarce infection of the bacterium. Urea breath test or stool antigen test are recommended for diagnosis of H. pylori infection in patients. It is suitable for patients, because of the non invasive nature of these diagnostic tests.     

Guidelines for treatment of Helicobacter pylori in the East and West

Infection with Helicobacter pylori remains a major healthcare burden, with persistently high prevalence rates, especially in less-developed countries. H. pylori infection is causally related to non-malignant and malignant gastroduodenal diseases, such as peptic ulcer diseases, gastric cancer and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Current international guidelines recommend a standard triple therapy as first-line therapy, including a proton pump inhibitor and a combination of amoxicillin and clarithromycin. Standard triple therapy has shown a decreasing efficacy over the years. The main reason is the increasing antibiotic resistance, particular to clarithromycin of H. pylori strains. Several new treatment options or modifications of already established regimens have been introduced to overcome treatment failure. In this article, we intend to report the reasons for treatment failure, and furthermore we give an overview of new treatment options as alternatives to the current treatment regimens. Finally, the strategy for the future is considered.     

Guidelines for treatment of Helicobacter pylori in the East and West

Infection with Helicobacter pylori remains a major healthcare burden, with persistently high prevalence rates, especially in less-developed countries. H. pylori infection is causally related to non-malignant and malignant gastroduodenal diseases, such as peptic ulcer diseases, gastric cancer and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Current international guidelines recommend a standard triple therapy as first-line therapy, including a proton pump inhibitor and a combination of amoxicillin and clarithromycin. Standard triple therapy has shown a decreasing efficacy over the years. The main reason is the increasing antibiotic resistance, particular to clarithromycin of H. pylori strains. Several new treatment options or modifications of already established regimens have been introduced to overcome treatment failure. In this article, we intend to report the reasons for treatment failure, and furthermore we give an overview of new treatment options as alternatives to the current treatment regimens. Finally, the strategy for the future is considered.