Comparison of the Eradication Rate between 1- and 2-Week Bismuth-Containing Quadruple Rescue Therapies for Helicobacter pylori Eradication

BACKGROUND/AIMS: First-line therapies against Helicobacter pylori, including proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) plus two antibiotics, may fail in up to 20% of patients. 'Rescue' therapy is usually needed for patients who failed the first-line treatment. This study evaluated the eradication rate of bismuth-containing quadruple rescue therapy over a 1- or 2-week period. METHODS: We prospectively investigated 169 patients with a persistent H. pylori infection after the first-line triple therapy, which was administered from October 2008 to March 2010. The patients were randomized to receive a 1- or 2-week quadruple rescue therapy (pantoprazole 40 mg b.i.d., tripotassium dicitrate bismuthate 300 mg q.i.d., metronidazole 500 mg t.i.d., and tetracycline 500 mg q.i.d.). After the 'rescue' therapy, the eradication rate, compliance, and adverse events were evaluated. RESULTS: The 1-week group achieved 83.5% (71/85) and 87.7% (71/81) eradication rates in the intention to treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses, respectively. The 2-week group obtained 87.7% (72/84) and 88.9% (72/81) eradication rate in the ITT and PP analyses, respectively. There was no significant difference in the eradication rate, patient compliance or rate of adverse events between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: One-week bismuth-containing quadruple therapy can be as effective as a 2-week therapy after the failure of the first-line eradication therapy.

Effectiveness of Triple Therapy and Quadruple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication / 대한소화기학회지

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Quadruple therapy can be considered as a first-line therapy in areas where the resistance rate to clarithromycin is high. Comparison study of triple therapy and quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication is still lacking in Korea despite the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance. This study was conducted to compare the efficacy of triple and quadruple therapy as a first-line treatment in H. pylori infected patients with peptic ulcer. METHODS: Consecutive 149 cases of peptic ulcer disease associated with H. pylori infection were randomized either to proton pump inhibitor (PPI, bid), amoxicillin (1,000 mg, bid), and clarithromycin (500 mg, bid) (PAC group) or to PPI (bid), bismuth subcitrate (300 mg, qid), metronidazole (500 mg, tid), and tetracycline (500 mg, qid) (PBMT group) eradication treatments for 7 days. Outcome of eradication therapy was assessed by 13C-urea breath test performed 4-6 weeks after eradication. RESULTS: Eradication rates in PAC and PBMT group were 78.7% (59/75) and 71.6% (53/74) by intention to treat analysis, respectively (p=0.424). By per protocol analysis, eradication rates of PAC and PBMT group were 85.5% (59/69) and 85.5% (53/62), respectively (p=1.012). Adverse reactions occurred in 5 (6.6%) and 7 (9.5%) patients in PAC and PBMT group, respectively (p=0.346). CONCLUSIONS: One week-quadruple therapy as a first-line treatment for H. pylori infection does not offer any advantage over PPI-based triple therapy in Korean patients.