Furazolidone versus metronidazole in quadruple therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori in duodenal ulcer disease

OBJECTIVE: Furazolidone, an old but cheap antibiotic, was shown to be a good alternative to metronidazole in triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication in areas where metronidazole resistant bacteria are common, but randomized studies are lacking. AIM: A randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy and safety of furazolidone compared to metronidazole in classic quadruple therapy for eradication of H. pylori infection in duodenal ulcer patients. METHODS: Patients with endoscopically proven duodenal ulcer and positive urease test were randomized to receive ranitidine 300 mg, amoxycillin 1000 mg and bismuth subcitrate 240 mg b.d, with either furazolidone 200 mg b.d (RABF), or metronidazole 500 mg b.d. (RABM) for 2 weeks. Compliance and side-effects were monitored and recorded by table diary. H. pylori eradication was assessed at least 4 weeks after the completion of therapy with 14C-urea breath test. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients were enrolled and 101 (59 male, 42 female, mean age=40 +/- 11 years) completed the study. Endoscopic findings and demographic data were comparable in both groups. Intention-to-treat eradication rates were 75% and 55% (P=0.03) and per protocol eradication rates were 82 and 56% (P=0. 006) in the RABF and RABM groups, respectively. Side-effects were reported by 13 patients (27%) in the RABF group (one stopped treatment) compared to five patients (10%) in the RABM group (P=0. 04). CONCLUSION: Quadruple therapy containing furazolidone, instead of metronidazole, results in a significantly higher H. pylori eradication rate in Iranian duodenal ulcer patients.