Evaluation of two therapeutic regimens for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection

In the present study we evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of two different therapeutic schedules in eradicating Helicobacter pylori. Forty- six consecutive patients (suffering from either peptic ulcer or non-ulcer dyspepsia) with helicobacter pylori infection were randomly allocated to one of the following two groups: group 1 (n=23) 2 weeks of treatment with bismuth subcitrate tablets (120 mgx4) + amoxycillin capsules (500 mgx4) + metronidazole tablets (250 mgx4); group 2 (n=23) 2 weeks of treatment with amoxycillin capsules (500 mgx4) + metronidazole tablets (250 mgx4). Endoscopy, histology and bacterial culture were performed at entry, and 30 and 90 days after treatment. Two group 1 patients and one group 2 patient did not complete the treatment. Successful eradication was obtained in 20/21 (95%) patients treated with triple therapy (group 1) and in 17/22 (77%) patients treated with double therapy (group 2) (p=0.2). Side-effects occurred in 9/21 (43%) patients of group 1 and in 9/22 (41%) patients of group 2 (p=0.9). These were all self-limiting and required no specific treatment. These data suggest that combined therapy with amoxycillin and metronidazole, with or without bismuth subcitrate, represents a safe and effective therapeutic approach for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. In our series, triple therapy determined a numerically higher eradication rate than double therapy.