Hybrid therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection: A systemic review and meta-analysis

AIM: To compare the effectiveness of hybrid therapy with other recommended regimens using meta-analysis.METHODS: Bibliographical searches for randomized trials comparing hybrid and other therapies were performed in PubMed, the Cochrane Library and relevant congresses up to February 2015 using the following keywords (all fields and/or MeSH): (“Helicobacter pylori” or “H. pylori”) and (“hybrid therapy” or “sequential-concomitant therapy”). Meta-analyses were performed with Cochrane Review Manager 5.1. The random effect model proposed by DerSimonian and Laird and the Mantel-Haenszel method were used to estimate the pooled relative risk and 95%CI of the efficacy outcomes between hybrid therapy and other eradication therapies.RESULTS: Eight studies (2516 subjects) met entry criteria. The antimicrobial resistance in the study groups ranged from 6.9% to 23.5%. The mean cure rates of hybrid therapy by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol analyses were 88.5% (n = 1207; range: 80.0% to 97.4%) and 93.3% (n = 1109; range: 85.7% to 99.1%), respectively. Meta-analysis showed there was no significant difference in ITT eradication rate between hybrid and sequential therapy (relative risk: 1.01; 95%CI: 0.92-1.11). Subgroup analysis revealed hybrid therapy was more effective than sequential therapy in the non-Italian populations (95%CI: 1.01-1.18) and was only less effective in one, Italian population (95%CI: 0.83-0.98). There was no significant difference in eradication rate between hybrid therapy and concomitant therapy (95%CI: 0.93-1.02). No head-to-head comparisons of hybrid therapy and standard triple therapy or bismuth quadruple therapy were found. However, a multicenter, randomized trial showed that reverse hybrid therapy was superior to standard triple therapy (95.5% vs 88.6% ITT; P = 0.011).CONCLUSION: Hybrid therapy appears to be an effective, safe, and well-tolerated treatment for H. pylori infection in the era of increasing antibiotic resistance.     

Concomitant therapy achieved the best eradication rate for Helicobacter pylori among various treatment strategies

AIM: To compare the Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) eradication rate of clarithromycin-based triple therapy,metronidazole-based triple therapy,sequential therapy and concomitant therapy.METHODS: A total of 680 patients infected with H.pylori were divided into 4 groups and each group was treated with a different eradication therapy.Clarithromycin-based triple therapy was applied to the first group [rabeprazole,amoxicillin and clarithromycin(PAC) group: proton pump inhibitor(PPI),amoxicillin,clarithromycin],whereas the second group was treated with metronidazole-based triple therapy [rabeprazole,amoxicillin and metronidazole(PAM) group: PPI,amoxicillin,metronidazole].The third group was treated with rabeprazole and amoxicillin,followed by rabeprazole,clarithromycin and metronidazole(sequential group).The final group was simultaneously treated with rabeprazole,amoxicillin clarithromycin and metronidazole(concomitant therapy group).In the case of a failure to eradicate H.pylori,second-line quadruple and third-line eradication therapies were administered.RESULTS: The per protocol(PP) analysis was performed on 143,139,141 and 143 patients in the PAC,PAM,sequential and concomitant groups,respectively.We excluded patients who did not receive a C13-urea breath test(22,20,23 and 22 patients,respectively) and patients with less than an 80% compliance level(5,11,6 and 5 patients,respectively).The eradication rates were 76.2%(109/143) in the PAC group,84.2%(117/139) in the PAM group,84.4%(119/141) in the sequential group and 94.4%(135/143) in the concomitant group(P = 0.0002).All 14 patients who failed second-line therapy were treated with thirdline eradication therapy.Among these 14 patients,6 infections were successfully eradicated with the thirdline therapy.Both PP and intention-to-treat analysis showed an eradication rate of 42.9%(6/14).In the PAC group,3 of 4 patients were successfully cured(3/4,75%); 2 of 2 patients in the PAM group(2/2,100%) and 1 of 5 patients in the sequential group(1/5,20%) were also cured.In the concomitant group,all 3 patients failed(0/3,0%).CONCLUSION: The eradication rate for the concomitant therapy was much higher than those of the standard triple therapy or sequential therapy(Clinical Trials.gov number NCT01922765).     

Role of concomitant therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A technical note

We read with interest the recent meta-analysis by Lin et al who evaluated the effectiveness of concomitant regimen for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in Chinese regions. They found that 7-d concomitant regimen is undoubtedly superior to 7-d triple therapy (91.2% vs 77.9%, P < 0.0001). However, it is a common belief that a triple therapy lasting 7 d should be definitively removed from the clinical practice for its ineffectiveness. Only its prolongation to 14 d may give satisfactory success rate. Thus, the assessment of an old and outdated treatment versus a more recent and successful one does not seem to bring novel and useful information. Moreover, a 7-d duration has not been ascertained for concomitant regimen, as main guidelines recommend a 10-d schedule for this scheme. Therefore, only studies comparing 10-d concomitant versus 14-d triple seem to be appropriate according to current Guidelines and would clarify which regimen is the most suitable worldwide. Additionally, in this meta-analysis concomitant and sequential therapy showed similar performances, despite it is common opinion that sequential is more prone than concomitant therapy to fail when metronidazole resistance occurs, and China is characterized by high rate of resistance to this antibiotic. None of the included studies evaluated a priori antibiotic resistances, and the lack of this detail hampers the unveiling of this apparent contradiction. In conclusion, the lack of the evaluation of the quality of included trials as well as their high heterogeneity constitute a burdensome limit to draw solid conclusions in this meta-analysis. On the bases of these considerations and the low number of examined trials, we believe that further studies and the knowledge of antibiotic resistances will support with high quality evidence which is the best regimen and its optimal duration.     

Helicobacter pylori:Effect of coexisting diseases and update on treatment regimens

The presence of concomitant diseases is an independentpredictive factor for non-Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) peptic ulcers. Patients contracting concomitant diseases have an increased risk of developing ulcer disease through pathogenic mechanisms distinct from those of H. pylori infections. Factors other than H. pylori seem critical in peptic ulcer recurrence in end stage renal disease(ESRD) and cirrhotic patients. However, early H. pylori eradication is associated with a reduced risk of recurrent complicated peptic ulcers in patients with ESRD and liver cirrhosis. Resistances to triple therapy are currently detected using culture-based and molecular methods. Culture susceptibility testing before first- or second-line therapy is unadvisable. Using highly effective empiric first-line and rescue regimens can yield acceptable results. Sequential therapy has been included in a recent consensus report as a valid first-line option for eradicating H. pylori in geographic regions with high clarithromycin resistance. Two novel eradication regimens, namely concomitant and hybrid therapy, have proven more effective in patients with dual-(clarithromycin- and metronidazole-) resistant H. pylori strains. We aim to review the prevalence of and eradication therapy for H. pylori infection in patients with ESRD and cirrhosis. Moreover, we summarized the updated H. pylori eradication regimens.     

Efficacy of moxifloxacin-based sequential and hybrid therapy for first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy(MBST) versus hybrid therapy as a first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection.METHODS: From August 2014 to January 2015, 284 patients with confirmed H. pylori infection were randomized to receive a 14-d course of MBST(MBST group, n = 140) or hybrid(Hybrid group, n = 144) therapy. The MBST group received 20 mg rabeprazole and 1 g amoxicillin twice daily for 7 d, followed by 20 mg rabeprazole and 500 mg metronidazole twice daily, and 400 mg moxifloxacin once daily for 7 d. The Hybrid group received 20 mg rabeprazole and 1 g amoxicillin twice daily for 14 d. In addition, the Hybrid group received 500 mg metronidazole and 500 mg clarithromycin twice daily for the final 7 d. Successful eradication of H. pylori infection was defined as a negative 13C-urea breath test 4 wk after the end of treatment. Patient compliance was defined as "good" if drug intake was at least 85%. H. pylori eradication rates, patient compliance with treatment, and adverse event rates were evaluated.RESULTS: The eradication rates in the intention-totreat(ITT) analysis were 91.4%(128/140; 95%CI: 90.2%-92.9%) in the MBST group and 79.2%(114/144; 95%CI: 77.3%-80.7%) in the Hybrid group(P = 0.013). The eradication rates in the perprotocol(PP) analysis were 94.1%(128/136; 95%CI: 92.9%-95.6%) in the MBST group and 82.6%(114/138; 95%CI: 80.6%-84.1%) in the Hybrid group(P = 0.003). The H. pylori eradication rate in the MBST group was significantly higher than that of the Hybrid group for both the ITT(P = 0.013) and the PP analyses(P = 0.003). Both groups exhibited full compliance with treatment(MBST/Hybrid group: 100%/100%). The rate of adverse events was 11.8%(16/136) and 19.6%(27/138) in the MBST and Hybrid group, respectively(P = 0.019). The majority of adverse events were mild-to-moderate in intensity; none were severe enough to cause discontinuation of treatment in either group.CONCLUSION: MBST was more effective and led to fewer adverse events than hybrid therapy as a first-line treatment for H. pylori infection.     

Hybrid,sequential and concomitant therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM: To compare hybrid therapy(HT) with traditional sequential therapy(ST) and concomitant therapy(CT) for Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) eradication.METHODS: We performed an electronic search of Pub Med, Embase, and the CENTRAL database. Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) of HT were included in the meta-analysis. The primary outcome was the eradication rate of H. pylori. The secondary outcomes included the compliance rate and adverse event rate. Effect estimates were pooled using the random-effects model.RESULTS: Twelve studies were included. Pooled results showed no significant differences in eradication rate between HT and ST in per-protocol(PP) analysis(RR = 1.03, 95%CI: 0.94-1.12, P = 0.59) or in intention-totreat(ITT) analysis(RR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.89-1.12, P = 0.94). HT and ST showed similarly high compliance rate(96% vs 98%, P = 0.55) and acceptable adverse event rate(30.3% vs 28.2%, P = 0.63). No significant results were seen in the eradication rate between HT and CT in PP analysis(RR = 1.01, 95%CI: 0.96-1.05, P = 0.76) or in ITT analysis(RR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.95-1.03, P = 0.47). HT displayed a slightly higher compliance rate than CT(95.8% vs 93.2%, P 0.05). The adverse event rates of HT and CT were similar(39.5% vs 44.2%, P = 0.24).CONCLUSION: Compared with ST or CT, HT yields a similar eradication rate, high compliance rate, and acceptable safety profiles.     

Optimal treatment strategy for Helicobacter pylori:Era of antibiotic resistance

Standard triple therapy,consisting of a proton pump inhibitor,plus amoxicillin and clarithromycin,has been the most commonly used first-line treatment regimen for Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)eradication for many years worldwide.However,as a result of increased resistance to antibiotics,H.pylori eradication rates with use of standard triple therapy have been declining and recently reached<80%in many countries.Several new strategies to enhance the eradication rate of H.pylori have been studied.Currently,among the alternative first-line eradication regimens,concomitant and hybrid regimens have shown excellent results and could be the optimal treatment option.Although clinical usefulness of rescue therapy for patients in whom eradication of H.pylori with non-bismuth quadruple regimen has failed is unclear,levofloxacin-based quadruple therapy has shown promise as a rescue treatment.The choice of third-line therapy depends on factors such as the local pattern of antibiotic resistance,drug availability,and previous treatment.We hope that a simple method for detection of antibiotic susceptibility using polymerase chain reaction would be a possible alternative to administration of"tailored treatment"in the era of increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance.     

Standard triple, bismuth pectin quadruple and sequential therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication

AIM: To compare the effectiveness of standard triple, bismuth pectin quadruple and sequential therapies for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ) eradication in a randomized, double-blinded, comparative clinical trial in China. METHODS: A total of 215 H. pylori -positive patients were enrolled in the study and randomly allocated into three groups: group A (n = 72) received a 10-d bismuth pectin quadruple therapy (20 mg rabeprazole bid , 1000 mg amoxicillin bid , 100 mg bismuth pectin qid , and 500 mg levofloxaci...     

Helicobacter pylori eradication in West Asia:A review

The efficacy of first-and second-line Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)eradication regimens varies considerably in West Asian countries,mainly due to the variable prevalence of resistant organisms.However,no review article has yet evaluated and compared the efficacy of different regimens among different countries of this region.Therefore,we conducted a review to select the best options and provide recommendations for H.pylori treatment in this geographic region.A search through PubMed was carried out to obtain relevant randomized clinical trials published in English language up to June2013.According to the results,among different therapeutic regimens used as the first-line protocols,10-d Bismuth-Furazolidone/Metronidazole quadruple therapy,14-d Clarithromycin-containing hybrid therapy and 14-d quadruple therapy including a proton pump inhibitor +Bismuth+Tetracycline(500 mg QID)+Metronidazole(500 mg TDS)seemed to be appropriate options.Among second-line therapeutic regimens,Bismuthbased quadruple therapies containing Tetracycline and Furazolidone/Metronidazole,triple therapy containing Amoxicillin and Gatifloxacin and Quadruple therapy including Bismuth+Azithromycin and Ofloxacin seemed to be effective options.Third-line therapies were not evaluated in West Asia;most guidelines,however,recommend choosing optimal eradication regimen according to the pattern of antibiotic susceptibility of H.pylori.Although we limited our investigation to H.pylori eradication regimens in West Asia,the clinical significance of the results goes beyond the countries situated in this geographic region.In fact,the results are transferrable to any region as long as the patterns of resistance are the same.     

Helicobacter pylori eradication: Sequential therapy and Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation

AIM:To evaluate the role of sequential therapy and Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri ) supplementation, in the eradication treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori ). METHODS:H. pylori infection was diagnosed in 90 adult dyspeptic patients. Patients were excluded if previously treated for H. pylori infection or if they were taking a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), H2-receptor antagonist or antibiotics. Patients were assigned to receive one of the following therapies:(1) 7-d triple therapy (PPI plus clarithromycin and amoxicillin or metronidazole) plus L. reuteri supplementation dur- ing antibiotic treatment; (2) 7-d triple therapy plus L. reuteri supplementation after antibiotic treatment; (3) sequential regimen (5-d PPI plus amoxicillin therapy followed by a 5-d PPI, clarithromycin and tinidazole) plus L. reuteri supplementation during antibiotic treatment; and (4) sequential regimen plus L. reuteri supplementation after antibiotic treatment. Successful eradication therapy was defined as a negative urea breath test at least 4 wk following treatment. RESULTS:Ninety adult dyspeptic patients were en- rolled, and 83 (30 male, 53 female; mean age 57 ± 13 years) completed the study. Nineteen patients were administered a 7-d triple treatment:11 with L. reuteri supplementation during and 8 after therapy. Sixty-four patients were administered a sequential regimen:32 with L. reuteri supplementation during and 32 after therapy. The eradication rate was significantly higher in the sequential group compared with the 7-d triple regimen (88% vs 63%, P = 0.01). No difference was found between two types of PPI. No difference in erad- ication rates was observed between patients submitted to L. reuteri supplementation during or after antibiotic treatment. Compliance with therapy was excellent in all patients. No difference in adverse effects was observed between the different antibiotic treatments and between patients submitted to L. reuteri supplementation during and after antibiotic treatment. There was a low incidence of adverse effects in all groups of patients with sequential therapy, probably due to the presence of the L. reuteri supplementation. CONCLUSION:The sequential treatment regimen achieved a significantly higher eradication rate of H. pylori compared with standard 7-d regimen. L. reuteri supplementation could reduce the frequency and the intensity of antibiotic-associated side-effects.     

Furazolidone-based triple and quadruple eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of furazolidone-based triple and quadruple therapy in eradicating Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in a multi-center randomized controlled trial.METHODS: A total of 720 H. pylori positive patients with duodenal ulcer disease were enrolled at 10 different hospitals in Jiangxi province in China. The patients were randomly assigned to four treatment groups as follows: patients in Groups 1 and 3 received rabeprazole (10 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg) and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 7 and 10 d, respectively; patients in Groups 2 and 4 received rabeprazole (10 mg), bismuth (220 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg) and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 7 and 10 d, respectively. The primary outcome measure was H. pylori eradication rate 4 wk after treatment by intention-to-treat and per protocol analysis, while the secondary outcome measures were symptom and sign changes at the end of treatment and 4 wk after the end of treatment, as well as the proportion of patients who developed adverse events.RESULTS: The demographic data of the four groups were not significantly different. Overall, 666 patients completed the scheme and were re-assessed with the ¹³C-urea breath test. The intention-to-treat analysis of the H. pylori eradication rates in Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 74.44%, 82.78%, 78.89% and 86.11%, respectively. The H. pylori eradication rate in Group 4 was significantly higher than that in Group 1. According to the per protocol analysis, the H. pylori eradication rates in Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 were 81.21%, 89.22%, 85.54% and 92.26%, respectively. The H. pylori eradication rate in Group 4 was significantly higher than that in Group 1. The number of adverse events was 15 (8.3%), 16 (8.9%), 15 (8.3%) and 17 (9.4%) in Groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively, including dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, skin rash, itchy skin, and malaise. The symptoms were relieved without special treatment in all of the patients.CONCLUSION: Both 7- and 10-d quadruple furazolidone-based therapies achieve satisfactory H. pylori eradication rates.     

Probiotics in Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM: To summarize the evidence from randomized controlled trials(RCTs) regarding the effect of probiotics by using a meta-analytic approach.METHODS: In July 2013, we searched PubM ed, EMBASE, Ovid, the Cochrane Library, and three Chinese databases(Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese Medical Current Content, and Chinese Scientific Journals database) to identify relevant RCTs. We included RCTs investigating the effect of a combination of probiotics and standard therapy(probiotics group) with standard therapy alone(control group). Risk ratios(RRs) were used to measure the effect of probiotics plus standard therapy on Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) eradication rates, adverse events, and patient compliance using a random-effect model. RESULTS: We included data on 6997 participants from 45 RCTs, the overall eradication rates of the probiotic group and the control group were 82.31% and 72.08%, respectively. We noted that the use of probiotics plus standard therapy was associated with an increased eradication rate by per-protocol set analysis(RR = 1.11; 95%CI: 1.08-1.15; P < 0.001) or intention-totreat analysis(RR = 1.13; 95%CI: 1.10-1.16; P < 0.001). Furthermore, the incidence of adverse events was 21.44% in the probiotics group and 36.27% in the control group, and it was found that the probiotics plus standard therapy significantly reduced the risk of adverse events(RR = 0.59; 95%CI: 0.48-0.71; P < 0.001), which demonstrated a favorable effect of probiotics in reducing adverse events associated with H. pylori eradication therapy. The specific reduction in adverse events ranged from 30% to 59%, and this reduction was statistically significant. Finally, probiotics plus standard therapy had little or no effect on patient compliance(RR = 0.98; 95%CI: 0.68-1.39; P = 0.889).CONCLUSION: The use of probiotics plus standard therapy was associated with an increase in the H. pylori eradication rate, and a reduction in adverse events resulting from treatment in the general population. However, this therapy did not improve patient compliance.     

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection:Meeting the challenge of antimicrobial resistance

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection is paramount for the management of prevalent gastrointestinal disorders including peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer.Due to the wide increase in prevalence of H.pylori resistance to antibiotics,clarithromycin-based triple therapies are not any more suitable for unconditional empiric use,and should not be recommended,unless local resistance to this antibiotic is low(<20%).Alternative strategies have been proposed to overcome the issue of increasing clarithromycin resistance,and some of them are already implemented in clinical practice.These comprise:(1)adoption of novel,more effective,empirical treatments:bismuth quadruple,sequential,non-bismuth quadruple(concomitant),dual-concomitant(hybrid),and levofloxacin-based regimens,the latter mainly designated as second-line/rescue options;(2)perspectives for a susceptibility-guided(tailored)therapeutic approach based on culture-free molecular testing methods;and(3)adjunct use of probiotics to improve eradication rates.The present article is aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of current and emerging strategies in the treatment of H.pylori infection,focusing on the challenge of antimicrobial resistance.     

Optimizing clarithromycin-containing therapy for Helicobacter pylori in the era of antibiotic resistance

The efficacy of triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection has dramatically declined over the last decade,largely related to increasing clarithromycin resistance rates.From a microbiological standpoint,bismuth quadruple therapy is the ideal replacement since it combines drugs for which resistance does not impair its efficacy.Nonetheless,several obstacles such as availability,complexity or tolerance prevent a general implementation of bismuth quadruple therapy,so nonbismuth quadruple regimens remain the best firstline treatment in clinical practice in many geographical areas.We review the rationale and efficacy of several optimization tools(increasing the length of duration,high-dose acid suppression,probiotics),which have been largely evaluated over the last 5 years to increase the effectiveness of standard triple therapy.Then,we update available evidence on the effectiveness of several non-bismuth quadruple therapies(sequential,concomitant,hybrid,miscellaneous therapy),which have gained interest lately.We also revise evidence on the efficacy of the aforementioned optimization tools for non-bismuth quadruples schemes and,finally we provide a novel regionalized therapeutic algorithm,based on novel formulas recently developed for predicting the outcome of non-bismuth quadruple regimens,upon local antibiotic resistance rates.     

High antibiotic resistance rate: A difficult issue for Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with a variety of upper gastrointestinal diseases, including gastric cancer. With the wide application of antibiotics in H. pylori eradication treatment, drug-resistant strains of H. pylori are increasing. H. pylori eradication treatment failure affects the outcome of a variety of diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, antibiotic resistance that affects H. pylori eradication treatment is a challenging situation for clinicians. The ideal H. pylori eradication therapy should be safe, effective, simple, and economical. The eradication rate of triple antibiotic therapy is currently less than 80% in most parts of the world. Antibiotic resistance is the main reason for treatment failure, therefore the standard triple regimen is no longer suitable as a first-line treatment in most regions. H. pylori eradication treatment may fail for a number of reasons, including H. pylori strain factors, host factors, environmental factors, and inappropriate treatment.     

Fluoroquinolone-based protocols for eradication of Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a widespread pathogen infecting about 40% of people living in urban areas and over 90% of people living in the developing regions of the world. H. pylori is well-documented as the main factor in the pathogenesis of peptic ulcer disease, chronic gastritis, and gastric malignancies such as cancer and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue-lymphoma; hence, its eradication is strongly recommended. The Maastricht IV consensus, which focused on the management of H. pylori infection, set important new strategies in terms of treatment approaches, particularly with regards to first- and second-line treatment protocols and led to improved knowledge and understanding of H. pylori resistance to antibiotics. In recent years, various fluoroquinolone-based protocols, mainly including levofloxacin, have been proposed and effectively tested at all therapeutic lines for H. pylori eradication. The aim of the present paper is to review the scientific literature focused on the use of fluoroquinolones in eradicating H. pylori.     

Second and third line treatment options for Helicobacter pylori eradication

Helicobacter pylori is a highly successful bacterium with a high global prevalence and the infection carries significant disease burden. It is also becoming increasingly difficult to eradicate and the main reason for this is growing primary antibiotic resistance rates in a world where antibiotics are frequently prescribed and readily available. Despite knowing much more about the bacterium since its discovery, such as its genomic makeup and pathogenesis, we have seen declining treatment success. Therefore, clinicians today must be prepared to face one, two or even multiple treatment failures, and should be equipped with sufficient knowledge to decide on the appropriate salvage therapy when this happens. This article discusses the factors contributing to treatment failure and reviews the second and thirdline treatment strategies that have been investigated. Established empiric second line treatment options include both bismuth based quadruple therapy and levofloxacin based triple therapy. Antibiotic testing is recommended prior to initiating third line treatment. In the event that antibiotic susceptibility testing is unavailable, third line treatment options include rifabutin, rifaximin and sitafloxacin based therapies.     

Efficacy of moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy for first-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastrointestinal disease

AIM:To evaluate the efficacy of 14-d moxifloxacinbased sequential therapy as first-line eradication treatment of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) infection.METHODS:From December 2013 to August 2014, 161 patients with confirmed H.pylori infection randomly received 14 d of moxifloxacin-based sequential group(MOX-ST group, n = 80) or clarithromycin-based sequential group(CLA-ST group, n = 81) therapy.H.pylori infection was defined on the basis of at least one of the following three tests:a positive 13C-urea breath test; histologic evidence of H.pylori by modified Giemsa staining; or a positive rapid urease test(CLOtest; Delta West, Bentley, Australia) by gastric mucosal biopsy.Successful eradication therapy for H.pylori infection was defined as a negative 13C-urea breath test four weeks after the end of eradication treatment.Compliance was defined as good when drug intake was at least 85%.H.pylori eradication rates, patient compliance with drug treatment, adverse event rates, and factors influencing the efficacy of eradication therapy were evaluated.RESULTS:The eradication rates by intention-to-treat analysis were 91.3%(73/80;95%CI:86.2%-95.4%)in the MOX-ST group and 71.6%(58/81;95%CI:65.8%-77.4%)in the CLA-ST group(P=0.014).The eradication rates by per-protocol analysis were 93.6%(73/78;95%CI:89.1%-98.1%)in the MOX-ST group and 75.3%(58/77;95%CI:69.4%-81.8%)in the CLAST group(P=0.022).Compliance was 100%in both groups.The adverse event rates were 12.8%(10/78)and 24.6%(19/77)in the MOX-ST and CLA-ST group,respectively(P=0.038).Most of the adverse events were mild-to-moderate in intensity;there was none serious enough to cause discontinuation of treatmentin either group.In multivariate analysis,advanced age(≥60 years)was a significant independent factor related to the eradication failure in the CLA-ST group(adjusted OR=2.13,95%CI:1.97-2.29,P=0.004),whereas there was no significance in the MOX-ST group.CONCLUSION:The 14-d moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy is effective.Moreover,it shows excellent patient compliance and safety compared to the 14-d clarithromycin-based sequential therapy.     

Rabeprazole,clarithromycin, and amoxicillin Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy: Report of an efficacy study

AIM:To investigate the efficacy of a standard triple therapy(comprising rabeprazole,clarithromycin,and amoxicillin)for Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)eradication,noting factors that influence the outcome and documenting any adverse events.METHODS:Following institutional ethical approval,fifty consecutive and consenting symptomatic patients with evidence of H.pylori infection by either a positive urea breath test(UBT)and/or a campylobacter-like organism test who presented to the Gastroenterology clinic of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital between 2012 and 2013 were recruited into the study.Patients were openly randomized to either a 7-d or a 10-d regimen of amoxicillin 1 g,clarithromycin 500mg and rabeprazole 20 mg twice daily.The extent of symptom resolution was noted following the treatment,and at the end of one month after the completion oftreatment,a repeat UBT was performed in each patient to document the eradication of the infection.All data(demographics,symptoms,and eradication rates)were collated and analyzed with SPSS version 18.RESULTS:Forty-seven patients completed the study(three were excluded from the analysis for breaching the study protocol).The patients included 18 males and 29 females within the age range of 13-80 years(mean 43.7,SD 16.8).The clinical features of the study subjects were dyspepsia,reflux symptoms and features of gastrointestinal bleeding.The average eradication rate was 87.2%.Eighteen subjects were enrolled in the 7-d arm,while 29 were in the 10-d arm.There was no statistically significant difference in the age or sex distributions of the two arms.There was no significant advantage of the 10-d treatment duration over the 7-d duration(P=0.78),and the eradication outcomes were not influenced by the gender or age of the subjects.No adverse effects were reported in either arm.CONCLUSION:The triple therapy regime,employing a combination of amoxicillin,clarithromycin and rabeprazole,showed great efficacy and safety in the eradication of H.pylori,and this outcome was not influenced by gender or age.No difference was observed between the 7-d and 10-d regimens.     

Pharmacological therapy used in the elimination of Helicobacter pylori infection:A review

The optimal therapy for Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) infection should combine a high cure rate and a short treatment duration with a favorable side-effect profile and should maintain a low cost.Several strategies have been proposed to increase the H.pylori eradication rate,including the extension of the treatment duration to 14 d,the use of a four-drug regimen(quadruple,sequential,and concomitant treatments),and the use of novel antibiotics,such as levofloxacin.However,triple therapy remains the most widely accepted firstline treatment regimen in Brazil and the United Statesand throughout Europe.Because this therapy is limited by resistance to clarithromycin,other therapeutic regimens have been investigated worldwide.This review describes the current literature involving studies directly comparing these different therapies and their efficacies.