Triple therapy with clarithromycin, amoxicillin and omeprazole for Helicobacter pylori eradication in children and adolescents

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori infection presents high prevalence in developing countries, but there are few pediatric assays evaluating antimicrobial treatment. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate Helicobacter pylori eradication rate using a short regimen (7 and 10 days) of triple therapy with clarithromycin, amoxicillin and omeprazole. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-five Hp positive patients who presented severe epigastralgia, were submitted to antimicrobial treatment with amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/day--maximum dose 1 g bid), clarithromycin (30 mg/kg/day--maximum dose 500 mg bid) and omeprazole (0.6 mg/kg/day--maximum dose 20 mg bid) during 7 or 10 days. After 2 months, clinical symptoms were evaluated and gastric biopsies were taken to test Hp eradication. RESULTS: Overall eradication rate was achieved in 16/25 patients (64%--IC(95% = 45-83%), in 11/15 (73%--IC(95%) = 51-95%) patients who used 10 days therapy course and in 5/10 (50%--IC(95%) = 19-81%) who used 7 days therapy course. Eradication drugs were well accepted and adverse effects were reported in two patients (8%). CONCLUSIONS: This triple therapy regimen had moderate efficacy (64%). The data suggests that 10 days therapy course achieves better eradication rate (73%) than 7 days course (50%) to treat Hp infection in our population