Role of bismuth in improving Helicobacter pylori eradication with triple therapy

Evaluation of safety and pharmacokinetics of bismuth-containing quadruple therapy with either vonoprazan or lansoprazole for Helicobacter pylori eradication

Aims

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication plays a key role in the treatment and prevention of peptic ulcer diseases. Increasing clarithromycin resistance in Hp necessitates more effective treatments for eradication, such as bismuth‐containing quadruple therapy. We aimed to compare the safety and pharmacokinetics (PK) of bismuth between vonoprazan‐ and lansoprazole‐containing quadruple therapy in Hp‐positive subjects.

Methods

In this randomised, double‐blind, parallel‐group study, Hp‐positive subjects were randomised to receive vonoprazan‐ or lansoprazole‐containing quadruple therapy. Each subject received vonoprazan 20 mg or lansoprazole 30 mg combined with bismuth 220 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg and amoxicillin 1000 mg twice daily for 14 days. Blood sampling and urine collection for bismuth PK were conducted predose and up to 12 hours postdose at steady‐state. The PK parameters of bismuth were derived using a noncompartmental method and compared between treatments. An exploratory breath test for Hp was conducted at screening and at the follow‐up visit on day 42. Safety was assessed by adverse event monitoring, physical examinations, vital signs, 12‐lead electrocardiograms and clinical laboratory tests.

Results

A total of 30 subjects were randomised and 26 subjects completed the study (12 in the vonoprazan group and 14 in the lansoprazole group). The systemic exposure of bismuth in the 2 treatments was comparable (~5% difference). All subjects turned negative for Hp at the follow‐up visit. No significant difference in safety profiles was noted between the 2 treatments.

Conclusion

The systemic exposure of bismuth was similar between vonoprazan‐ and lansoprazole‐containing quadruple therapy. Vonoprazan‐containing quadruple therapy was safe and well tolerated.

Efficacy of bismuth added to standard triple therapy as the first-line eradication regimen for Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND

Addressing the increasing antibiotic resistance, including clarithromycin resistance, which affects Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy, is a challenge for clinicians. The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of bismuth added to standard triple therapy as a first-line treatment regimen for Helicobacter pylori infection. The secondary outcome was the treatment efficacy for clarithromycin-resistant strains.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective study was undertaken from January to December 2019. A total of 107 patients with Helicobacter pylori infection were enrolled and received Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy with bismuth added to standard triple therapy for 14 days. We also evaluated the clarithromycin resistance rate by dual-priming oligonucleotide-based multiplex PCR and treatment efficacy.

RESULTS

A total of 104 patients completed standard triple therapy with bismuth added for Helicobacter pylori eradication. The eradication rates in the intention to treat and per-protocol analyses were 87.9% and 90.4%, respectively. The frequency of clarithromycin resistance was 33.6% (35/104), and the eradication rate was 77.1% in resistant strains (27/35).

CONCLUSION

Bismuth added to standard triple therapy could be acceptable as a first-line treatment regimen for Helicobacter pylori eradication in patients with clarithromycin-resistant strains. In particular, in areas with high clarithromycin tolerance, it is advisable to consider bismuth add-on therapy as the first-line treatment regimen.

Bismuth salts with versus without acid suppression for Helicobacter pylori infection: A transmission electron microscope study

BACKGROUND

Bismuth oxychloride produced by interaction of bismuth compounds with gastric acid is believed to damage Helicobacter pylori. The effect of bismuth salts on H. pylori in the presence of strong acid suppression is unknown. This randomized trial aimed to determine effects of bismuth subcitrate on H. pylori with and without acid suppression.

METHODS

H. pylori -positive participants were allocated (1:1:1) to receive (a) no treatment (control), (b) colloidal bismuth subcitrate (CBS, 125 mg/tab), or (c) CBS plus high-dose proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), esomeprazole 40 mg q.i.d. for 3 days. In the treatment groups, CBS was given: 1 dose, 1 hour before endoscopy, 1 dose, 4 hours before endoscopy, or q.i.d. 24 hours before endoscopy. The study end-points were evaluated using transmission electron microscopy to observe the morphological changes of H. pylori in antral and corpus biopsies.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven H. pylori carriers were enrolled in this trial with qualitative end-points. In the no treatment group, active budding and replication of H. pylori were observed. In the CBS group, cellular swelling, vacuolization, structural degradation, and cell wall eruption of H. pylori were observed, with no apparent association with when the CBS was given. Among those receiving high-dose PPI-plus CBS or CBS only, there were no differences in number of H. pylori present or severity of bacterial damage whether CBS was given 1, 4, or 24 hours before endoscopy.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on direct morphological evaluation, the toxic effect of CBS treatment on H. pylori was demonstrated independent of acid suppression with PPI.

Vonoprazan-containing Helicobacter pylori triple therapies contribution to global antimicrobial resistance

Amoxicillin and proton pump inhibitor dual Helicobacter pylori therapy has proved not to be reliably highly effective primarily because of traditional proton pump inhibitors' inability to maintain a high intragastric pH. Clarithromycin and proton pump inhibitor H. pylori dual therapy failed in part because clarithromycin resistance emerged during therapy causing treatment failures. The combination of amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and proton pump inhibitor was subsequently undermined by increasing clarithromycin resistance. Although vonoprazan appeared to restore the effectiveness of triple therapy, the improvement was almost entirely to improved effectiveness of amoxicillin dual therapy component and resulted in the majority (>85% currently in Japan) of those receiving vonoprazan-amoxicillin plus a second antibiotic (e.g. clarithromycin, metronidazole, fluoroquinolone, or rifabutin) receiving no benefit from the second antibiotic. The results in somewhere between 2800 and 5600 kg of unnecessary clarithromycin per one million H. pylori treatment courses per year in Japan. The only contribution of the second antibiotic is to increase global antimicrobial resistance. There are now sufficient data to prove that optimized vonoprazan-amoxicillin dual therapy can reliably achieve cure rates ≥95%. This manuscript discusses use of the principles of antimicrobial stewardship to develop potassium-competitive acid blocker-containing H. pylori therapies that will reliably achieve high H. pylori cure rates with minimal or no use of excess antibiotics. Such therapies are urgently needed so that use of vonoprazan triple therapies can be curtailed while also improving overall H. pylori cure rates.

Reverse hybrid therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The efficacy and safety of reverse hybrid therapy in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection remained unclear.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This systematic review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA 2009 guidelines. A systematic search of the Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane database was conducted using the combination of "Helicobacter pylori or H. pylori or Hp" and "hybrid". The primary endpoint of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy of reverse hybrid therapy; the second endpoint was to evaluate the efficacy of reverse hybrid therapy among the strains with antibiotic resistance and the compliance, safety of reverse hybrid therapy.

RESULTS

Four studies with 1530 participants were included. The crude H. pylori eradication rate of reverse hybrid therapy was 95.5% (737/772) and 96.2% (701/729) by ITT and PP analysis, respectively. There is no statistical significance of efficacy between reverse hybrid therapy and control according to ITT (pooled rate: 96% vs. 94%, RR = 1.02, 95% CI, 0.95-1.05, p = .28) and PP (pooled rate: 96% vs. 94%, RR = 1.02, 95% CI, 0.99-1.06, p = .23) analysis. The effect of reverse hybrid therapy in strains with isolated clarithromycin resistance (pooled rate: 89% vs. 65%, RR = 1.13, 95% CI, 0.77-1.66, p = .53), metronidazole resistance (pooled rate: 91% vs. 81%, RR = 1.00, 95% CI, 0.96-1.05, p = .85), and dual clarithromycin-metronidazole resistance (pooled rate: 86% vs. 83%, RR = 0.94, 95% CI, 0.69-1.27, p = .69) showed no superior to that of control. The compliance of reverse hybrid therapy is 96%, and side effect is slightly lower to that of control group.

CONCLUSION

Reverse hybrid therapy shows good efficacy, safety, and compliance in the treatment of H. pylori infection. However, its application for H. pylori treatment in regions with high antibiotic resistance need to be further explored.

Helicobacter pylori-targeting multiligand photosensitizer for effective antibacterial endoscopic photodynamic therapy

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is closely associated with the development of gastric inflammatory diseases and cancer. However, the continued abuse and misuse of antibiotics has accelerated the spread of antibiotic-resistant strains, which poses a tremendous challenge for antibiotic-based H. pylori treatment. In this study, a H. pylori-targeting photodynamic therapy (PDT) system is proposed that multiple 3'-sialyllactose (3SL)-conjugated, poly-_l-lysine-based photosensitizer (p3SLP). p3SLP facilitates H. pylori-targeting PDT via the specific interaction between 3SL and sialic acid-binding adhesin (SabA) in the H. pylori membrane. p3SLP can be orally administered to H. pylori infected mice and irradiated using an endoscopic laser system. The gastrointestinal pathological analysis of the H. pylori-infected mice demonstrated significant H. pylori specific antibacterial effects of PDT without side effects to normal tissue. In addition, an anti-inflammatory response was observed at the site of infection after p3SLP treatment. Consequently, this study demonstrates the superior efficacy of anti-H. pylori PDT with p3SLP in H. pylori-infected mice, and this approach shows great potential for replacing antibiotic-based therapy.

The appropriate cutoff gastric pH value for Helicobacter pylori eradication with bismuth-based quadruple therapy

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to investigate whether an increased proton pump inhibitor (PPI) dose enhanced the efficacy of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and determine the appropriate cutoff intragastric pH value that could predict H. pylori eradication with bismuth-based quadruple therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 207 H. pylori infected, treatment naive patients were enrolled in this prospective, open-label, randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomly allocated into Eso40-group (esomeprazole 40 mg bid) and Eso20-group (esomeprazole 20 mg bid), and their CYP2C19 genotyping status was assessed. The 24-h intragastric pH monitoring on day 7 was performed, and percentage of time gastric pH ≥ 3, ≥4, ≥5, and ≥6 (pH holding time ratios; HTRs) were measured. H. pylori eradication was evaluated using ¹³ C-urea breath test.

RESULTS

No significant difference in the eradication rates was observed between two groups. The median 24-h intragastric pH value was not significant different between two groups but the Eso40 Group had a significant higher pH4 HTRs (91.11% [95%CI: 87.50%-95.83%] vs. 95.83% [95.83%-100%]; p = .002). Additionally, the median 24-h intragastric pH value showed significantly difference between two groups in EM genotype (Eso20 Group 6.00 [95%CI; 5.75-6.15] vs. Eso40 Group 6.30 [6.05-6.30]; p = .019). Similar results were observed in pH4 HTRs. There were significant differences in intragastric pH value (6.10 [95%CI: 4.40-7.00] vs. 5.65 [4.85-5.95], p = .038) and in pH4 HTRs (96% [95%CI: 92.00%-96.00%] vs. 87.5% [67.00%-100.0%], p = .019) between eradication-successful and eradication-failed patients. Statistical analysis suggested that the median intragastric pH = 5.7 could identify the success of H. pylori eradication.

CONCLUSIONS

Bismuth-based quadruple therapy resulted in high H. pylori eradication rates either in PPI standard or double doses. Double dose of esomeprazole is associated with better intragastric acid suppression. A median 24-h intragastric pH of 5.7 could be appropriate cutoff value for predicting the successful H. pylori eradication.

Comparative study of allicin-containing quadruple therapy vs. bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: a prospective randomized study

BACKGROUND

Bismuth has antimicrobial activity and can improve the efficacy of triple Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) therapy. Allicin added to conventional therapy for H. pylori infection also improves H. pylori eradication rates. Thus, this study aims to evaluate and compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of allicin-containing quadruple therapy and bismuth-containing quadruple therapy and to investigate the factors that affect the eradication rates.

METHODS

Two hundred twenty H. pylori-infected patients were included and randomly (1:1) assigned to 14-day quadruple therapy: ilaprazole (5 mg bid), doxycycline (100 mg bid), and furazolidone (100 mg bid) with an allicin soft capsule (40 mg of DATS tid) (IDFA) or colloidal bismuth tartrate (220 mg of elemental bismuth bid) (IDFB). Eradication was confirmed by urea breath tests. Symptom improvement, adverse events, and adherence were assessed by a questionnaire.

RESULTS

In the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analysis, the eradication rates for IDFA and IDFB groups were 87.5% (70/80) vs. 86.3% (69/80, P = 0.815) and 91.9% (68/74) vs. 91.8% (67/73, P = 0.980) as first-line therapies; 83.3% (25/30) vs. 83.3% (25/30, P = 1) and 89.3% (25/28) vs. 88.9% (24/27, P = 1) as second-line therapies. Symptom improvement rates were 96.1% and 97.0% for IDFA and IDFB (P = 1). The adverse event rates were 10.9% in IDFA and 14.5% in IDFB groups (P = 0.418). Nausea occurred frequently in IDFB than IDFA (1.8% vs. 8.2%, P = 0.030). Smoking and sharing utensils significantly affected the efficacy.

CONCLUSION

Allicin-containing quadruple therapy might be regarded as a promising alternative to bismuth-containing quadruple therapy in H. pylori eradication.

Modified bismuth quadruple therapy with low-dose metronidazole as first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND

Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is an effective alternative first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of a modified twice-a-day bismuth quadruple regimen (BQT-2) with low-dose (1000 mg total) metronidazole as first-line therapy for the eradication of H pylori.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this prospective pilot study, patients diagnosed with H pylori infection and naïve to eradication therapy were included. The modified BQT-2 therapy consisted of rabeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, metronidazole 500 mg, and tripotassium dicitrato bismuthate 600 mg (elemental bismuth 240 mg) twice daily, given 30 minutes before morning and evening meals for 14 days. H pylori eradication was assessed by ¹³ C-urea breath test conducted at least 4 weeks after therapy completion.

RESULTS

In 66 patients who received the modified BQT-2 regimen, the compliance rate was 100% and the H pylori eradication rate was 77.3%. H pylori was successfully cultured in 50 (75.8%) patients. The resistance rates to metronidazole and clarithromycin were 30.0% and 22.0%, respectively. Eradication rates were not significantly different according to the resistance to metronidazole (metronidazole-susceptible: 74.3% [26/35], metronidazole-resistant: 73.3% [11/15]; P > .99). Most of the adverse events were mild, with 20 (30%) patients developing nausea, epigastric soreness, loose stool, asthenia, skin rash, dizziness, taste perversion, headache, or dyspepsia.

CONCLUSIONS

Twice-a-day modified BQT-2 regimen with low-dose metronidazole was suboptimal as an alternative first-line therapy for eradicating H pylori, despite high patient compliance.

Helicobacter pylori Treatment Strategies in Singapore

The management of Helicobacter pylori infection in Singapore remains a clinical challenge. Similar to other regions, there has been an increase in antibiotic resistance rates through the years. Nonetheless, over the past two decades, clarithromycin-based triple therapy has continued to be used as the first line treatment option, with an eradication rate exceeding 90%, although the accepted treatment duration must now be lengthened from 1 to 2 weeks to maintain efficacy. Concomitant and sequential therapies did not demonstrate superiority over standard triple therapy. Current empiric second line treatment utilizes either bismuth-based quadruple therapy or levofloxacin-based triple therapy, but outcomes remain less than ideal. Identifying options to further improve treatment success rates is challenging. Strategies being considered include the use of potent acid suppressants, such as vonoprazan, and H. pylori culture and antibiotic susceptibility testing-guided therapy.

High-dose dual therapy versus bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection – A review of the strengths, weaknesses, and proposed solutions

Helicobacter pylori is the principal cause of peptic ulcers, gastric cancer, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. The first treatment to H. pylori infection is dual therapy (a bismuth compound plus metronidazole). On the launch of omeprazole in 1988, dual therapy became omeprazole and amoxicillin (low dose). The poor H. pylori eradication rates by either bismuth-based or low-dose dual therapy drove more combinations of antibiotics were needed. Antibiotic resistance, especially clarithromycin and metronidazole, has made bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (BCQT) a savior for first-line and second-line treatments. However, its complicated dosing regimen commonly causes more adverse events and poor drug compliance. Thus, high-dose dual therapy (HDDT) has been re-arising. This article reviews the strengths and weaknesses of HDDT versus BCQT with proposed solutions.

Relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and gastrointestinal microecology

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a common human bacterial pathogenh that infects more than 50% of the global natural population. In the absence of proper treatment, H. pylori will persist. H. pylori infection leads to changes in gastrointestinal flora, which is associated with a variety of gastrointestinal and extra-gastrointestinal diseases. In recent years, intestinal microecology has become a research hotspot, and the relationship between H. pylori infection and intestinal microecology has gradually attracted researchers' attention. H. pylori eradication leads to short-term changes in intestinal flora, but its long-term effects are unclear. The use of probiotics may have a positive impact on H. pylori eradication.

14-Day High-Dose Amoxicillin- and Metronidazole-Containing Triple Therapy With or Without Bismuth as First-Line Helicobacter pylori Treatment

BACKGROUND

Amoxicillin, metronidazole, proton pump inhibitor, bismuth quadruple therapy had been shown to reliably achieve high eradication rates. The role of individual components remains undefined.

AIM

To identify the additional benefit/role of bismuth in amoxicillin, metronidazole, proton pump inhibitor, bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) treatment.

METHODS

This was a non-inferiority factorial design trial. Treatment-naive H. pylori-infected subjects were randomly (1:1) assigned to receive 14-day amoxicillin- and metronidazole-containing triple therapy consisting of esomeprazole 20 mg twice a day, amoxicillin 1 g, and metronidazole 400 mg both thrice daily with or without 220 mg bismuth twice a day. Six weeks after treatment, H. pylori eradication was assessed by ¹³C-urea breath test. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed by the twofold agar dilution method.

RESULTS

From July 2018 to June 2019, a total of two hundred and sixteen subjects were randomized. Both therapies achieved high eradication rates. Per-protocol with bismuth = 97.9% (94/96, 95% CI 95.1-100%) and without bismuth = 94.7% (90/95, 95% CI 90.3-99.1%) (P = 0.43). Intent-to-treat analysis = 90.7% (98/108, 95% CI 85.2-96.2%) versus 88.9% (96/108, 95% CI 82.8-95.0%) with and without bismuth (P = 0.65). The two regimens were not inferior by intent-to-treat or per-protocol analyses. Metronidazole resistance did not affect the efficacy of either therapy.

CONCLUSION

Neither the presence nor absence of bismuth or metronidazole resistance reduced the effectiveness of triple therapy containing esomeprazole 20 mg twice a day, amoxicillin 1 g, and metronidazole 400 mg thrice daily in this population. The clinical trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03557437.

Efficacy and safety of bismuth-containing quadruple treatment and concomitant treatment for first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Bismuth-containing quadruple treatment (BQT) and concomitant treatment (CT) were recommended as alternative first-line treatments of Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori). A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the cure rates and compare efficacy and safety of BQT and CT for H. Pylori eradication. PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched on June 16, 2020. Meta-analysis, sensitivity analysis, and subgroup analysis were conducted by Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 11.0. Ten studies were collected. We found no difference of cure rate between BQT and CT in intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (84.6% vs. 82.9%, OR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.94-1.38; P = 0.19) and marginally statistical difference in per-protocol (PP) analysis (92.4% vs 90.1%, OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.00-1.73; P = 0.05). Based on the results of subgroup analyses, we found statistical difference of eradication rate between BQT and CT (amoxicillin + clarithromycin + metronidazole + PPI treatment) according to PP analysis (94.3% vs. 91.5%, OR = 1.49, 95% CI:1.03-2.15; P = 0.03) and marginally statistical difference according to ITT analysis (87.5% vs. 84.6%, OR = 1.28, 95% CI:1.00-1.65; P = 0.05). BQT and CT may be both good treatment options for H. pylori infection. However, BQT was superior to current scheme of CT (amoxicillin + clarithromycin + metronidazole + PPI treatment) in subgroup analysis. It is very necessary to choose tailored therapy as an outstanding way to reduce the impact of antibiotic.

Empirical or susceptibility-guided treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection? A comprehensive review

Although susceptibility-guided therapy is frequently recommended for Helicobacter pylori infection, the evidence available to date supporting this strategy is limited. The aim of the present article is to review the advantages and limitations of the susceptibility-guided and the empirical strategies to treat this infection. We performed a bibliographic search to identify studies investigating H. pylori susceptibility-guided therapy. Culture is not the only way to assess antibiotic resistance, as different polymerase chain reaction-based approaches have been developed as alternative methods. For detecting H. pylori antimicrobial resistance, a molecular approach based on a stool sample might enable more convenient, time-saving methods. Unfortunately, the antimicrobial susceptibility cannot be obtained in all cases. Furthermore, antibiotic susceptibility testing in clinical practice yields useful information only for a few antibiotics: clarithromycin, metronidazole, and quinolones. In addition, susceptibility towards clarithromycin and metronidazole in vitro does not necessarily lead to eradication in vivo. In the case of H. pylori therapy failure, we should not re-administer any of the antibiotics against which H. pylori has probably become resistant. Our updated meta-analysis showed that susceptibility-guided treatment is not better than empirical treatment of H. pylori infection in first-line therapy if the most updated quadruple regimens are empirically prescribed, and similar efficacy results were also demonstrated with the two strategies for second-line therapy. Cumulative H. pylori eradication rate with several successive rescue therapies empirically prescribed reaches almost 100%. Finally, the studies that have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of the susceptibility-guided treatment have achieved contradictory results. In summary, we can conclude that the evidence is too limited to support the generalized use of susceptibility-guided therapy for H. pylori treatment in routine clinical practice, either as first-line or as rescue treatment. Nevertheless, it would be recommended that susceptibility tests are performed routinely, even before prescribing first-line treatment, in specialized centers with an interest in H. pylori management.

Identifying the best regimen for primary eradication of Helicobacter pylori: analysis of 240 cases

The treatment regimen for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori may be best when therapy is susceptibility guided. However, it is unrealistic to use a strategy based on susceptibility testing to prioritize therapy for every patient in China. Empirical therapy of H. pylori is still widely used. The study was designed to discuss the best first‐line treatment regimen depending on empirical therapy. The focal point of the study was the optimal length of the therapy. Also, the selection of antibiotics was discussed in the article. This was a prospective, randomized, non‐inferiority trial. H. pylori‐infected patients who have no previous eradication therapy were randomly assigned to the following: 20 mg of rabeprazole, 1000 mg of amoxicillin, 500 mg of clarithromycin, and 220 mg of bismuth potassium citrate (BACPPI), administered twice a day for 10 or 14 days. The efficacy, side effects, and remission rate of clinical symptoms were determined. A total of 240 subjects were included in the study. The eradication rate with 14 and 10 days was essentially identical in both intention‐to‐treat (90.83% [95% CI, 86%–96%] vs. 87.50% [95% CI, 82%–93%]) and per‐protocol (94.78% [95% CI, 91%–99%] vs. 92.11% [95% CI, 87%–97%]) analyses. Loss of appetite and belching symptoms were significantly better in the BACPPI‐10 group than those in the control group after treatment. Side effects were generally mild and similar between groups. Our results showed that a 10‐day amoxicillin–clarithromycin‐containing bismuth quadruple therapy may be recommended for the primary empirical treatment of H. pylori infection in Beijing, China.

Transitioning of Helicobacter pylori Therapy from Trial and Error to Antimicrobial Stewardship

Helicobacter pylori is the only major infection for which antimicrobial therapy is not designed using the principles of antimicrobial stewardship. Traditionally, antimicrobial therapy is a susceptibility-based therapy, achieves high cure rates, and includes surveillance programs to regularly provide updated data regarding resistance, outcomes, and treatment guidelines. Current H. pylori therapies identified by trial-and-error, and treatment recommendations and guidelines are based on comparisons among regimens that rarely take into account the prevalence or effect of resistance. The majority of patients currently treated achieve suboptimal results. A paradigm shift is required to abandon current approaches and embrace antimicrobial stewardship, and therefore reliably achieve high cure rates; develop, propagate, and update best practice guidelines; and provide surveillance of local or regional susceptibility/resistance patterns. These also require timely updates to clinicians regarding the current status of resistance, antimicrobial effectiveness, and ways to prevent antimicrobial misuse to extend the useful life of currently available antibiotics. Here, we discuss the differences among current approaches to H. pylori therapy and antimicrobial stewardship and identify what is required to achieve the transition. Conceptually, the differences are significant, and the transition will likely need to be both abrupt and complete. Recommendations for therapy during the transition period are given.

Using next-generation sequencing to analyze Helicobacter pylori clones with different levofloxacin resistances from a patient with eradication failure

The regimens containing levofloxacin (LVX) have been recommended as an alternate to standard triple therapy to treat Helicobacter pylori infections and H pylori mixed infection always lead to H pylori chronic infection. Although the molecular mechanism of LVX resistance with gyrA gene mutation has been clearly understood in H pylori, other genes involved in antibiotic resistance remain unclear. Efflux pump plays an important role in clinically relevant multidrug resistance. Furthermore, the relationship between the strains with different LVX level-resistances from individuals is also unknown.Helicobacter pylori monoclonal strains were isolated from patients with eradication failure. E test was used to detect the minimal inhibitory concentration of LVX. One lower-level LVX-resistant clone and 2 higher-level LVX-resistant clones from the same patient were selected to sequence the complete genomes. Single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and mutations were extracted and analyzed from gryA and resistance-nodulation-division family efflux genes.Two clones with higher-level resistance had the mutation pattern of Asn87Lys and one lower-level LVX-resistant clone had an Asp91Asn mutation. Compared to clones with higher-level resistance, the higher genetic variations were found in genes belonging to the resistance-nodulation-division family in H pylori strains with lower-level resistance to LVX. There were significantly more SNVs of Hp0970 (hefE) and Hp1329 (hefI) in the lower-level LVX-resistant clone than those in the higher-level LVX-resistant clones (P = .044).The mutation pattern of the Asn87Lys of the gyrA gene confers a higher resistance to LVX than that of the Asp91Asn in H pylori. Increase in the number of SNVs of the Hp0970 (hefE) and Hp1329 (hefI) genes change the resistance to LVX. Twelve mutations verified by Sanger sequencing in Hp0970 (hefE) and Hp1329 (hefI) may decrease resistant levels to LVX.

Rifamycin use for treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: a review of recent data

Helicobacter pylori eradication has become increasingly challenging. We focused on recent data about rifamycin resistance and rifamycin-containing regimens. Rifampin (rifampicin) resistance rates were <1-18.8% (often ≤7%), while those to rifabutin were 0-<4%. To detect rifabutin resistance by rifampin, 4 mg/l breakpoint was suggested. Eradication success by rifaximin-based regimens was disappointing (<62%), while that of rifabutin-containing regimens was 54.5->96%, reaching >81% in four studies. Some newer rifamycin analogs like TNP-2092 need further investigation. Briefly, although rifabutin-based regimens carry a risk of adverse effects or increasing mycobacterial resistance, they may be a rational choice for some multidrug-resistant H. pylori strains and as a third-line eradication therapy. Bismuth addition to rifabutin-based therapy and combined rifabutin-containing capsules (Talicia) are promising treatment options.

High dose PPI-amoxicillin dual therapy for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection: a systematic review with meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori resistance to amoxicillin remains rare in many regions. Proton pump inhibitor-amoxicillin-containing high dose dual therapy (HDDT) has been proposed to treat H. pylori infection. We aimed to assess the effectiveness and safety of PPI-amoxicillin HDDT for treatment of H. pylori infection in comparison with other regimens.

METHODS

Databases, including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, were searched to find relevant publications. Randomized controlled trials comparing HDDT with control regimens for H. pylori eradication in adult patients were included. The primary outcome was eradication rate by intention-to-treat analysis. Adverse events were analyzed as second outcome.

RESULTS

A total of 15 trials with 3818 patients qualified for inclusion. The eradication rate of HDDT was neither significantly inferior nor superior to the recommended regimens such as triple therapy, bismuth quadruple therapy, and non-bismuth quadruple therapy [relative risk (RR): 1.00, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.96-1.05, p = 0.870]. This finding was robust through subgroup analyses and sensitivity analyses. Trial sequential analysis showed that HDDT was equivalent to control regimens, and further similar trials were unlikely to alter the conclusions of this analysis. The frequency of adverse events was significantly lower in HDDT group (RR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.37-0.64, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

HDDT was equivalent to recommended first-line or rescue regimens with fewer adverse effects. The evidence from this meta-analysis supports the use of HDDT as first-line or rescue treatment for H. pylori infection.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

PROSPERO CRD42019133002.

Evaluation of different proton pump inhibitors combined with bismuth quadruple regimens in Helicobacter pylori eradication

To evaluate the efficacy and economics of different proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) combined with bismuth quadruple regimens for Helicobacter pylori (Hp) eradication, a retrospective analysis method was used to collect Hp-positive patients who were treated with a bismuth-containing quadruple regimen (PPIs + amoxicillin + furazolidone + colloid pectin bismuth) from the outpatient department of gastroenterology in our hospital from January to June 2017. A total of 1410 patients were included in the study and divided into four groups according to different PPIs: group A (pantoprazole sodium enteric-coated capsules, 352 cases), group B (esomeprazole magnesium enteric-coated tablets, 462 cases), group C (pantoprazole sodium enteric-coated tablets, 392 cases) and group D (rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated tablets, 204 cases). The eradication rate of Hp and cost-saving in each group were then compared. There were no significant differences of gender (P = 0.526) and age (P = 0.366) between each Hp treatment regimen. The eradication rates of groups A, B, C and D were 91.48%, 89.83%, 86.73% and 90.69%, respectively. No statistical differences of Hp eradication rates were observed between each group yet (P > 0.05). However, the cost of group A was the lowest. In the present study, the Hp eradication rates between different PPIs regimens were similar in treating Hp infection. Nevertheless, the point in favor of pantoprazole capsules is the slightly higher Hp eradication rate and lower drug cost than other PPIs, which provides a significant evidence for the clinical medication decision in treating Hp infection.

Optimized diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori and tailored eradication therapy for preventing gastric cancer: a proposal for SHAKE strategy

INTRODUCTION

To decrease gastric cancer-related mortality, the Korean National Cancer Screening Program provides biennial screening gastroscopy to all individuals aged >40 years. However, a test-and-treat strategy of Helicobacter pylori for preventing gastric cancer has not been established.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we present up-to-date results of endoscopic findings of H. pylori gastritis, optimal sites for H. pylori detection, gastric cancer risk assessment using serum pepsinogen, tailored eradication based on the antimicrobial resistance against H. pylori, and post-eradication surveillance.

EXPERT OPINION

Here we propose approaches to H. pylori diagnosis and treatment for preventing gastric cancer, termed 'Screening for H. pylori in Korea and Eradication (SHAKE)' strategy. This strategy consists of the following: (1) optimized H. pylori diagnosis, (2) individualized management based on the H. pylori infection status, and (3) tailored eradication therapy. H. pylori gastritis can be diagnosed by endoscopic observation of the gastric mucosal pattern at the greater curvature of the corpus. Measurement of the serum pepsinogen I/II ratio is useful for assessing the risk of gastric cancer. As a first-line treatment, tailored eradication based on the results of molecular testing is effective in a country with a high rate of clarithromycin-resistant H. pylori.

Antibiotics in the clinical pipeline in October 2019

The development of new and effective antibacterial drugs to treat multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria, especially Gram-negative (G−ve) pathogens, is acknowledged as one of the world’s most pressing health issues; however, the discovery and development of new, nontoxic antibacterials is not a straightforward scientific task, which is compounded by a challenging economic model. This review lists the antibacterials, β-lactamase/β-lactam inhibitor (BLI) combinations, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) first launched around the world since 2009 and details the seven new antibiotics and two new β-lactam/BLI combinations launched since 2016. The development status, mode of action, spectra of activity, lead source, and administration route for the 44 small molecule antibacterials, eight β-lactamase/BLI combinations, and one antibody drug conjugate (ADC) being evaluated in worldwide clinical trials at the end of October 2019 are described. Compounds discontinued from clinical development since 2016 and new antibacterial pharmacophores are also reviewed. There has been an increase in the number of early stage clinical candidates, which has been fueled by antibiotic-focused funding agencies; however, there is still a significant gap in the pipeline for the development of new antibacterials with activity against β-metallolactamases, orally administered with broad spectrum G−ve activity, and new treatments for MDR Acinetobacter and gonorrhea.

Recent progress in Helicobacter pylori treatment

The main challenge in the field of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is antibiotic resistance, which influences the efficacy of eradication regimens. Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy has been confirmed as an effective regimen for eradicating H. pylori, especially in strains with antibiotic resistance. High-dose proton-pump inhibitor-amoxicillin dual therapy could decrease the use of unnecessary antibiotics, which is a promising alternative approach. Adjuvant therapy (specific probiotic or vitamin) also showed good results, although more evidence is needed. Novel anti-H. pylori drugs are needed, and the establishment of the H. pylori database is an effective way to acknowledge the real-time information of H. pylori management. This review provides the recent progress of H. pylori treatment, and further studies are needed to address the role of different regimens in improving H. pylori eradication rate, especially in strains with antibiotics resistance.

What Would the Screen-and-Treat Strategy for Helicobacter pylori Mean in Terms of Antibiotic Consumption?

Several guidelines recommend the screen-and-treat strategy, i.e. active search for the presence of Helicobacter pylori infection and its eradication to prevent the possibility of gastric cancer. It is thought that a relatively short duration antibiotic regimen given once in a lifetime would not significantly increase overall antibiotic consumption. However, this would mean offering antibiotic treatment to the majority of the population in countries with the biggest burden of gastric cancer who would, therefore, have the greatest benefit from such a strategy. So far, no country has implemented an eradication strategy. With an example based on the current situation in Latvia, we have estimated the increase in antibiotic consumption if the screen-and-treat strategy was applied. Depending on the scenario that might be chosen, clarithromycin consumption would increase up to sixfold, and amoxicillin consumption would double if the recommendations of the current guideline in the local circumstances was applied. It appears that an increase in commonly used antibiotic consumption cannot be justified from the viewpoint of antibiotic stewardship policies. Solutions to this problem could be the use of antibiotics that are not required for treating life-threatening diseases or more narrow selection of the target group, e.g. young people before family planning to avoid transmission to offspring. Additional costs related to the increase in resistome should be considered for future cost-effectiveness modelling of the screen-and-treat strategy.

Combination of Bismuth and Standard Triple Therapy Eradicates Helicobacter pylori Infection in More than 90% of Patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Due to the poor eradication rates of standard triple therapy, the addition of bismuth salts has been proposed for first-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori. We assessed the effectiveness and safety of the combination of bismuth and the standard, clarithromycin-containing triple therapy in eradication of H pylori infection, using data from a large multi-center registry.

METHODS

We performed an interim analysis of data from the European Registry on H pylori Management, a prospective trial registering clinical data and outcomes from infected patients from 27 countries in Europe since 2013. We extracted data on 1141 treatment-naïve patients who received first-line treatment with bismuth salts (240 mg) and a proton pump inhibitor (57% received esomeprazole, 18% received omeprazole, 11% received pantoprazole, and 14% received rabeprazole), amoxicillin (1 g), and clarithromycin (500 mg), all taken twice daily.

RESULTS

Intention to treat and per-protocol rates of eradication were 88% and 94%, respectively. Intention to treat eradication increased to 93% in patients who received 14-day treatments. Adverse events occurred in 36% of patients; 76% of these events were mild, with a mean duration of 6 days. In multivariate analysis, eradication was associated with treatment compliance (odds ratio [OR], 13.0), a double dose (equivalent to 40 mg omeprazole) of proton pump inhibitor (OR, 4.7), and 14-day duration of treatment (OR, 2.0).

CONCLUSIONS

In an analysis of data from a large multi-center registry, we found the addition of bismuth to 14-day standard triple therapy with clarithromycin and amoxicillin to eradicate H pylori infection in more than 90% of patients, based on intention to treat analysis, with an acceptable safety profile and level of adherence. ClinicalTrials.gov no: NCT02328131.

Histological changes in refractory Helicobacter pylori infection and its relationship with increased levels of resistance to antibiotics and therapeutic regimens: one-year follow-up

Eradication failure of Helicobacter pylori infection could play a causal role in progression of gastric disorders. In this study, infection with H. pylori was followed in gastric biopsies of symptomatic adult patients at two phases during 1-year period. Analyses were done to show association of therapeutic regimens with the refractory infection, changes in sequence types (STs) and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values, and progression of histopathological changes. Infection with H. pylori was confirmed in 32.3% (57/170) of the patients. Persistent infection with H. pylori was confirmed in 14 out of the 25 patients (56%) who participated at the second phase of the study. A difference between primary and secondary resistance rates to clarithromycin (49% vs 64.3%), metronidazole (76.36% vs 100%), and ciprofloxacin (45% vs 57.1%) was detected. Although the re-emerged strains in patients with refractory infection did not show alteration in STs, their MIC₅₀ values showed twofold increases for clarithromycin and ciprofloxacin. While ciprofloxacin containing regimens were more successful, failure of metronidazole containing regimens was detected in 77% of the patients. Consequently, inappropriate medication has an impact on refractory H. pylori infection, which could cause to a rise in resistance levels to antibiotics and progression of pathological disorders.

Efficiency of the Inclusion of Rebamipide in the Eradication Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Infection: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Studies

BACKGROUND

There has been a negative trend in the effectiveness of classic eradication therapy regimens for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), which has largely been determined from the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance. Several studies have shown that adding rebamipide to eradication regimens leads to an increase in the effectiveness of treatment.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of including rebamipide in the eradication regimens for H. pylori infection.

METHODS

The literature search was conducted in the MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register, Korean Medical Citation Index, and Russian Science Citation Index databases. All identified randomized controlled trials comparing rebamipide supplementation with non-rebamipide-containing eradication regimens for the treatment of H. pylori infection were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

We identified 11 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 1227 patients (631 in groups with rebamipide and 596 in groups without rebamipide). The meta-analysis showed that the addition of rebamipide to eradication regimens significantly increased the effectiveness of treatment (odds ratio (OR) 1.753, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.312-2.333, p < 0.001). The subgroup analysis demonstrated that rebamipide significantly increased the effectiveness of eradication when added to a dual therapy regimen (OR 1.766, 95% CI: 1.167-2.495, p = 0.006); however, no significant improvement in effectiveness was observed when it was added to the triple therapy regimen (OR 1.638, 95% CI 0.833-3.219, p = 0.152).

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis demonstrated that the addition of rebamipide to H. pylori eradication regimens significantly increases the effectiveness of treatment.

[The efficacy and safety of quadruple therapy without bismuth (concomitant therapy) in the treatment of patients with Helicobacter pylori - associated gastric and duodenal peptic ulcer disease]

AIM

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of quadrupletherapy without bismuth (concomitant therapy) in patients with Helicobacter pylori - associated gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer in the framework of a comparative research in the population of patients in Russia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A prospective randomized trial was conducted, which included 210 patients with H. pylori - associated gastric/duodenal ulcer without complications. During the process of randomization, the patients were divided into three equal groups (n=70) depending on the prescribed 10-day scheme of eradication therapy (ET): the first group received the classic triple scheme (Omeprazole 20 mg 2 times a day, Amoxicillin 1000 mg 2 times a day and Clarithromycin 500 mg 2 times a day); the second group received quadruple therapy with bismuth drugs (Omeprazole 20 mg 2 times a day, Tetracycline 500 mg 4 times a day, Metronidazole 500 mg 3 times a day, Bismuth subcitrate potassium 120 mg 4 times a day); the third group received quadruple therapy without bismuth - concomitant therapy (Omeprazole 20 mg 2 times a day, Amoxicillin 1000 mg 2 times a day, Clarithromycin 500 mg 2 times a day and Metronidazole 500 mg 2 times a day). Diagnostics of H. pylori infection during screening and control of eradication was carried out via the fast urease biopsy sample test and urea breath test system. Control of the effectiveness of ET of the microorganism was carried out not earlier than 4 weeks after the end of the treatment. During the course of therapy, the frequency of development of side effects was assessed using a special questionnaire.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The effectiveness of triple therapy was 72.8% (ITT; 95% CI of 62.17-83.54) and 78,4% (PP; 95% CI 68.19-88.72); quadruple therapy with the preparation of bismuth - 80.0% (ITT; 95% CI 70.39-89.6) and 84,8% (PP; 95% CI, 75.96-93.73); quadruple therapy without bismuth - concomitant therapy - 84.2% (ITT; 95% CI 75.54-93.02) and 92.1% (PP; 95% CI 85.43-98.94). Quadruple therapy without bismuth was reliably more effective than the classical triple therapy in the PP selection (p=0.044883). Statistical analysis showed a tendency to poorer effectiveness of ET in patients who had previously used antibiotic therapy (OR 0.4317; 95% CI 0.1776-1.049), and in individuals with a rapid metabolism genotype - CYP2C19*1/*1 (OR 0.12; 95% CI 0.005848-2.4624). The frequency of development of side effects during the use of triple therapy was 18.5% (95% CI of 9.23-27.91), when using quadruple therapy with bismuth - 20.0% (95% CI 10.39-29.6), and with the use of quadruple therapy without bismuth - concomitant therapy - 24.2% (95% CI 13.98-34.58).

CONCLUSION

This prospective randomized study demonstrated the high efficiency of quadruple therapy without bismuth (concomitant therapy) in the framework of eradication of H. pylori infection in Russia.

High-dose PPI-amoxicillin dual therapy with or without bismuth for first-line Helicobacter pylori therapy: A randomized trial

BACKGROUND

A reliably highly effective high-dose proton-pump inhibitor plus amoxicillin (dual Helicobacter pylori therapy) has remained elusive. We compared whether the addition of bismuth to high-dose dual therapy would improve the efficacy of high-dose dual therapy as first-line treatment.

METHODS

This was an open-label, randomized single-center study of 160 treatment-naive patients with H. pylori infection who were randomly assigned to 14-day therapy with esomeprazole 40 mg twice a day plus amoxicillin 1 g three times a day with or without bismuth potassium citrate 600 mg (elemental bismuth 220 mg) twice a day. Antibiotic resistance was determined by agar dilution method and eradication by ¹³ C-urea breath test.

RESULTS

The per-protocol eradication rates were 96.1%; 95% CI = 88.9%-99.2% (73/76) without bismuth vs 93.3%; 95% CI = 85.1%-97.8% (70/75) with bismuth (P = 0.494). The intention-to-treat eradication rates were 92.5%; 95% CI = 84.4%-97.2% (74/80) without bismuth and 88.8%; 95% CI = 79.7%-94.7% (71/80) with bismuth (P = 0.416). Resistance to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole, and levofloxacin was 0%, 31.7%, 81.4%, and 40.7%, respectively. Smoking reduced treatment effectiveness limited to those not receiving bismuth. The per-protocol eradication rates were 70% (7/10) vs 100% (66/66) in smokers vs non-smokers without bismuth (P = 0.002), and 100% (10/10) in smokers vs 92.3% (60/65) in non-smokers with bismuth (P = 1.0). The adverse event rates were 7.5% (6/80) without bismuth vs 11.3% (9/80) with bismuth (P = 0.416).

CONCLUSIONS

Fourteen-day high-dose dual therapy was both effective and safe for first-line treatment in a region of high prevalence antibiotic resistance. Adding bismuth only improved treatment effectiveness among smokers.

Intraluminal therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Several strategies have been proposed to increase the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori. However, the widespread increasing resistance rates to current multiple-dose oral antibiotic therapies call for alternative therapeutic approaches. We aim to develop a novel intraluminal therapy for H. pylori infection (ILTHPI).

METHODS

From April 2017 to December 2017, 100 H. pylori-infected treatment-naïve patients with upper abdominal pain or discomfort underwent endoscopic examinations and concomitant ILTHPI, which comprised the control of intragastric pH, the irrigation of gastric mucosal surface with a mucolytic agent, and the application of single-dose medicaments containing antibiotic powders. The safety profiles while conducting ILTHPI and adverse events after ILTHPI were evaluated. The success of eradication was assessed based on the result of the ¹³ C-urea breath test 6 weeks after ILTHPI. In addition, a patient with successful ILTHPI was reconfirmed by a negative H. pylori stool antigen test four to 6 months after ILTHPI to exclude short-term recurrence.

RESULTS

All the 100 enrolled patients completed the ILTHPI with good safety profiles and mild adverse events (6%). Five patients dropped out, and 51 of 95 patients (53.7%) achieved successful eradication immediately after endoscopic examinations. All 51 patients revealed negative stool H. pylori antigen tests four to 6 months after successful ILTHPI. No short-term recurrence was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

We have developed a novel therapeutic approach. With the ILTHPI, H. pylori can be eradicated immediately by administrating a single-dose regimen while conducting an endoscopic examination.

CLINICAL TRIALS NUMBER

NCT03124420.

Cefuroxime, levofloxacin, esomeprazole, and bismuth as first-line therapy for eradicating Helicobacter pylori in patients allergic to penicillin

Background

Eradicating Helicobacter pylori infection is clinically challenging, notably in cases with penicillin allergy. Cephalosporin could be used in lieu of amoxicillin to eradicate Helicobacter pylori. The current work aimed to assess therapeutic efficacy and safety of a cefuroxime-based quadruple regimen in treatment-naïve individuals with penicillin allergy, as well as patient compliance.

Methods

In the present prospective single-center cohort study, 152 Helicobacter pylori infected individuals with penicillin allergy received eradication therapy with cefuroxime (500 mg twice/day), levofloxacin (500 mg once/day), esomeprazole (20 mg twice/day) and bismuth potassium citrate (220 mg twice/day; 14 days). Safety and compliance were evaluated 1 to 3 days upon eradication. The urea breath test was carried out 8 to 12 weeks upon eradication for efficacy assessment.

Results

This quadruple antimicrobial regimen eradicated the pathogen at 85.5% (95% confidence interval (CI) 79.6–90.8%), 88.4% (95% CI 83.0–93.2%) and 90.1% (95% CI 85.2–94.4%) in intention-to-treat, modified intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses, respectively, with resistance rates of 4.6 and 40.0% in the background of cefuroxime and levofloxacin, respectively. Meanwhile, 21.3% of patients had adverse reactions, but none was serious. A total of 95.3% of patients showed good compliance. Poor compliance and cefuroxime resistance were detected by uni- or multivariate analyses as independent factors predicting therapeutic failure. Eradication rates in patients with dual levofloxacin and cefuroxime susceptibility, isolated levofloxacin resistance, isolated cefuroxime resistance and dual resistance were 97.2, 84.0, 50.0, and 0%, respectively (P = 0.002).

Conclusions

Cefuroxime, levofloxacin, esomeprazole, and bismuth achieved decent efficacy, safety and compliance as first-line antimicrobial regimen in patients with Helicobacter pylori and penicillin allergy.

Helicobacter pylori infection is an infectious disease and the empiric therapy paradigm should be changed

Helicobacter pylori infection is an infectious disease. Given the alarmingly high antibiotic resistance in H. pylori, gastroenterologists should change the empiric H. pylori treatment paradigm to an antimicrobial susceptibility testing-guided precision treatment. Antimicrobial stewardship programs for H. pylori should be implemented locally, regionally, and nationally to monitor the antibiotic resistance pattern.

Systematic review: Would susceptibility-guided treatment achieve acceptable cure rates for second-line Helicobacter pylori therapy as currently practiced?

BACKGROUND

Susceptibility-guided treatment has been proposed as a way to improve Helicobacter pylori eradication rates. Evidence on its efficacy for rescue therapy is very scarce. The aim of this study was to indirectly assess the applicability and effectiveness of susceptibility-guided treatment by evaluating (a) the rate of acceptance of endoscopy, (b) its success in detecting resistances, and (c) infection cure rates in patients harboring strains found to be susceptible to the antibiotics administered in clinical trials in which the efficacy of second-line treatments was reported.

METHODS

A systematic review of studies evaluating second-line H pylori treatment was carried out in multiple databases. Studies reporting antibiotic susceptibility evaluation and/or cure rates in patients harboring sensitive and resistant strains were selected. Data were extracted in duplicate.

RESULTS

The systematic review identified 36 eligible studies. Acceptance was evaluated in only one study of 60 patients, of whom only 38 agreed to endoscopy. Among the 2890 patients who received endoscopy and culture, resistances were finally determined in 86.5%. Cure rate was 72.5% in the 113 patients harboring a clarithromycin-susceptible strain after previous clarithromycin treatment, 93.5% in the 765 patients harboring a metronidazole-susceptible strain, and 83.8% in the 192 patients harboring a levofloxacin-susceptible strain. No studies with repeated administration of levofloxacin or metronidazole were found.

CONCLUSION

Even if the culture shows a clarithromycin-sensitive strain, repeating clarithromycin after a first failure should be discouraged. Susceptibility-guided treatment alone did not achieve adequate cure rates for rescue therapies. Additional measures are needed to design rescue treatments that consistently achieve excellent cure rates.

Randomised controlled trial: susceptibility-guided therapy versus empiric bismuth quadruple therapy for first-line Helicobacter pylori treatment

BACKGROUND

Increasing Helicobacter pylori resistance has led to decreases in treatment effectiveness.

AIM

To test the effectiveness of susceptibility-guided therapy vs a locally highly effective empiric modified bismuth quadruple therapy for first-line H pylori treatment in a region with high antimicrobial resistance.

METHODS

We compared 14-day susceptibility-guided with empiric therapy using a multicentre superiority-design trial, which randomised H pylori infected subjects 3:1 to (a) susceptibility-guided therapies contained esomeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 1 g b.d. plus clarithromycin 500 mg, metronidazole 400 mg b.d., or levofloxacin 500 mg daily for susceptible infections or bismuth 220 mg b.d. and metronidazole 400 mg q.d.s. for triple-resistant infections; (b) Empiric therapy contained esomeprazole 20 mg, bismuth 220 mg b.d., amoxicillin 1 g and metronidazole 400 mg t.d.s. Primary outcome was H pylori eradication.

RESULTS

Between February 2017 and March 2018, 491 subjects were screened and 382 were randomised. Both the susceptibility-guided and the empiric regimens were highly successful with per-protocol eradication rates of 97.7% (250/256) vs 97.6% (81/83, P = 1.00) and intent-to-treat eradication rates of 91.6% (262/286) vs 85.4% (82/96, P = 0.12). Overall, susceptibility-guided therapy was not superior to empiric therapy with 0.1% per-protocol (95% CI -3.1% to 3.2%) and 6.2% intent-to-treat (-0.3% to 12.7%) eradication difference. Both approaches had high adherence and low adverse event rates.

CONCLUSIONS

Both susceptibility-guided and empiric therapies provided excellent eradication rates. Clinically, the choice would hinge on availability of susceptibility testing and/or a locally highly effective empiric therapy.

The Anti-Helicobacter pylori Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarum, and L. rhamnosus in Stomach Tissue of C57BL/6 Mice

Background and Aim

Helicobacter pylori is one of the most common pathogenic bacteria in the human gut, and is also one of the most important factors that cause digestive disorders such as chronic inflammation, gastric ulcers, and even gastric cancer. Since the use of various antibiotics to treat H. pylori infection is associated with the development of resistance in this bacterium, the aim of this study was to determine the anti-H. pylori effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus, L. plantarum, and L. rhamnosus in the stomach tissue of C57BL/6 mice.

Materials and Methods

In this experimental study, 70 mice in ten groups were evaluated from July to September 2017 in the microbiology laboratory of the School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran. After induction of H. pylori infection in mice with the standard strain of H. pylori (ATCC 43504), the infected mice were treated with drug and Lactobacillus species in different groups. Then, the anti-H. pylori effects of lactobacilli were evaluated by stool antigen test and tissue staining.

Results

Based on ELISA results and histological findings, a reduction of inflammation was observed. The group which was only exposed to L. rhamnosus and the one which was exposed to all three strains of Lactobacillus showed the highest antimicrobial effect on H. pylori.

Conclusion

According to the results of this study, probiotic bacteria including L. acidophilus, L. plantarum, and L. rhamnosus could be useful in the reduction of H. pylori infection in the mouse model.

Initial Trials With Susceptibility-Based and Empiric Anti-H. pylori Therapies in Mongolia

Background: Mongolia has a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric cancer. We conducted a prospective, randomized, single-blind study to evaluate the efficacy of common regimens in Mongolia and to obtain specimens for susceptibility testing. Methods: Empiric treatments: 270 patients with confirmed H. pylori infection were randomized to receive 10 days clarithromycin-triple therapy (Clari-TT) (n = 90), modified bismuth quadruple therapy (M-BQT) (n = 90), or sequential therapy (ST) (n = 90). A second group of 46 patients received susceptibility-based Clari-TT. H. pylori was cultured from 131 patients and susceptibility testing was performed. H. pylori eradication was confirmed by stool antigen 4 weeks after the therapy. Results: Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis cure rates were 71.1% (95% CI = 61.7-80.5%) for Clari-TT, 87.8% (95% CI = 81-94.6%) for M-BQT, 67.8% (95% CI = 58.1-77.5%) for ST vs. 89.1% (95% CI = 86-98.2%) for susceptibility-based Clari-TT. Per-protocol (PP) analysis results for these therapies were 72.7% (63.4-82%), 89.8% (83.5-96.1%), 68.5% (58.8-78.2%), and 97.6% (89.5-99.8%), respectively. Among 131 cultured H. pylori, resistance rates to amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole were 8.4, 37.4, and 74%, respectively. Conclusion: In Mongolia, the prevalence of H. pylori resistance is high requiring bismuth quadruple therapy or susceptibility-based therapy to obtain acceptable cure rates.

Inactivation of NikR from Helicobacter pylori by a bismuth drug

The NikR protein is an essential DNA regulator of Helicobacter pylori, a human pathogen, which infects almost half of the world's population. Herein, we comprehensively characterized the interaction of a bismuth drug with Helicobacter pylori NikR. We show that Bi(III) can occupy the high-affinity Ni(II) site of NikR. The highly-conserved residue Cys107 at this site is critical for Bi(III) binding. Importantly, such a binding disassembles physiologically functional NikR tetramer into inactive dimer, leading to abrogation of the DNA-binding capability of NikR. Bi(III)-binding also significantly disturbs regulatory function of Helicobacter pylori NikR in vivo. Therefore, NikR might serve as a potential intracellular target of a bismuth drug.

Bismuth supplements as the first-line regimen for Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy: Systemic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

An increase in the use of antibiotics leads to increased antibiotic resistance of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori). Consequently, it has been considered that the first-line standard regimen should be changed. The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of nonantibiotic (bismuth) supplements as a first-line regimen for H pylori eradication.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reported in English and undertaken up until August 2018. A meta-analysis of all randomized controlled trials comparing bismuth supplements with non-bismuth-containing regimens in H pylori eradication was performed. RCTs of classic bismuth-containing quadruple therapy as a first-line regimen were excluded.

RESULTS

We identified twenty-five randomized trials (3990 patients), and the total H pylori eradication rate, according to per protocol analyzed, was 85.8%. The odds ratio was 1.83 (95% confidence interval (CI). 1.57-2.13). Among these RCTs, there were 7 RCTs for bismuth add-on therapy, and the odds ratio was 2.81 (95% CI. 2.03-3.89). When the studies were performed in a high clarithromycin resistance area (≥15%) or included patients with clarithromycin resistance, bismuth-containing regimens were superior to non-bismuth regimens. Moreover, the incidence of total side effects was insignificant.

CONCLUSIONS

Bismuth supplements as a first-line regimen could be effective, with bismuth add-on regimens being the most effective. Particularly, bismuth supplements showed the potential efficacy for clarithromycin-resistant strains and would be the most viable alternative in clinical practice.

Half-dose clarithromycin-containing bismuth quadruple therapy is effective and economical in treating Helicobacter pylori infection: A single-center, open-label, randomized trial

BACKGROUND

Clarithromycin-containing bismuth quadruple therapy has been recommended as the first-line therapy for H pylori infection in China. However, its expensive cost and high antibiotic-related adverse reactions are always haunting us. To find a safer, more cost-effective, and high eradicative strategy for Helicobacter treatment, we investigated the efficacy of 14-day bismuth quadruple therapy and different doses of clarithromycin in the first-line treatment.

METHOD

A total of 210 patients with H pylori infection were recruited and randomly assigned to half-dose clarithromycin group (esomeprazole 20 mg bid, amoxicillin 1 g bid, clarithromycin 250 mg bid, and bismuth potassium citrate 0.6 g bid) for 14 days or standard-dose clarithromycin group (esomeprazole 20 mg bid, amoxicillin 1 g bid, clarithromycin 500 mg bid, and bismuth potassium citrate 0.6 g bid) for 14 days. A ¹³ C-urea breath test (¹³ C-UBT) was performed at least 4 weeks after treatment. The eradication rate of H pylori, the incidence of side effects, and the cost-effectiveness of regimens were evaluated in this study.

RESULTS

The eradication frequencies were 86.67% for both groups in the intention-to-treat analysis, while the per-protocol eradication rates were 91% vs. 91.92% (p=0.817). The incidence of adverse events was higher in standard dose group (54.21% vs. 34.29%; p=0.004), especially bitter taste symptom. There was a higher level of costs per person associated with the standard-dose group as compared with half-dose group (￥804.3 vs ￥654.36). The cost-effectiveness ratio of the half dose was less than that of the standard dose (7.55 vs 9.16 CNY per percent).

CONCLUSIONS

A 14-day half-dose clarithromycin-containing bismuth quadruple regimen is as effective as the standard bismuth quadruple therapy at eradicating H pylori, which is better tolerated and more economical. (ChiCTR-ROC-15007406).

Role of Probiotics in Helicobacter pylori Eradication: Lessons from a Study of Lactobacillus reuteri Strains DSM 17938 and ATCC PTA 6475 (Gastrus®) and a Proton-Pump Inhibitor

Background

Meta-analyses involving >4000 subjects with probiotics added to antimicrobial Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy have reported a mean increase in the eradication rate of 12 to 14%. It is unclear how to translate that result into clinical practice.

Aim

To evaluate whether administration of Lactobacillus reuteri plus a PPI without antibiotics would eradicate H. pylori infections.

Methods

This was a double-blind placebo-controlled randomized 2-site study of L. reuteri (Gastrus®) at a dose of 2 × 10⁸ CFU, 7 times per day, or matching placebo plus 20 mg pantoprazole b.i.d. for 4 weeks. Cure was defined by negative ¹³C-UBT, 4 weeks after therapy. Sample size required ≥50% cure rates for using probiotics as a clinically useful monotherapy.

Results

Recruitment was halted after 56 subjects because of the low cure rate; there were 8 dropouts; 48 subjects completed therapy (71% women, average age 49 years). The cure rates per protocol were 3/24 (12.5%; 95% CI 2.6-32%) with L. reuteri vs. 1/24 (4.1%) with placebo. Side effects (most often diarrhea) occurred infrequently (in 5/28 vs. 3/28; active vs. placebo therapy) (P=0.53).

Conclusion

L. reuteri plus a PPI therapy was unable to provide a clinically important rate of H. pylori eradication. The cure rate albeit low (12.5%) was essentially identical to that achieved when probiotics were added to antibiotic therapy. The incremental improvement was additive and independent of antimicrobial resistance or antibiotics use. Probiotics can reliably increase the cure rate to ≥90% only in regimens achieving cure rates of ∼80%. This trial is registered with NCT03404440.

[European registry Helicobacter pylori (Hp-EuReg): how has clinical practice changed in Russia from 2013 to 2018 years]

The multicenter prospective observational study initiated by the European Helicobacter and Microbiota Study Group (EHMSG) is conducted in 27 countries in Europe. The data from the Russian part of the European registry for the management of Helicobacter pylori infection (European Registry on the management of Helicobacter pylori infection, protocol: "Hp-EuReg") allows us to analyze the real clinical practice of diagnosis and treatment of H. pylori and compare it with international recommendations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A comparative analysis of the data entered in the register by the Russian research centers "Hp-EuReg", in the period from 2013 to 2018, was conducted.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Invasive diagnostic methods prevail for the primary diagnosis of H. pylori [histology - 20.3% (in 2013 year) - 43.9% (in 2018 year), rapid urease test - 31.7% and 47.8% respectively]. The most popular mode of eradication therapy is a 10-day triple therapy (62.8-76.2%), the effectiveness of which does not exceed 79% (per protocol). Invasive tests (histology) are the leading method for control the effectiveness of therapy, however, there is a tendency towards a wider use of non-invasive methods (H. pylori stool antigen - from 17% in 2013 to 29.3% in 2018 and urea breath test from 6.9 to 18.3%, respectively). Serological test to control the effectiveness of eradication is still used from 8.2% (2013) to 6.1% (2018). Eradication therapy was not performed in 28% of patients throughout the entire observation period.

CONCLUSION

In Russia, despite approved domestic and international recommendations, deviations in clinical practice persist, both during eradication therapy and in monitoring the effectiveness of eradication therapy.

Peptic Ulcer Disease: A Brief Review of Conventional Therapy and Herbal Treatment Options

Peptic ulcer is a chronic disease affecting up to 10% of the world's population. The formation of peptic ulcers depends on the presence of gastric juice pH and the decrease in mucosal defenses. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection are the two major factors disrupting the mucosal resistance to injury. Conventional treatments of peptic ulcers, such as proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine-2 (H2) receptor antagonists, have demonstrated adverse effects, relapses, and various drug interactions. On the other hand, medicinal plants and their chemical compounds are useful in the prevention and treatment of numerous diseases. Hence, this review presents common medicinal plants that may be used for the treatment or prevention of peptic ulcers.

High dose dual therapy versus bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM

The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis on high-dose dual therapy (HDDT) versus bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) for Helicobacter pylori infection.

METHODS

Comparing HDDT to BQT were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, CNKI, and Wanfang databases in Chinese up to March 2018. Statistical analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.3 to compare the efficacy and side effects of these 2 therapies for H pylori infection. Dichotomous data were pooled to score the relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS

Four randomized clinical trials (RCTs) including 829 patients with a diagnosis of H pylori infection were assessed. Overall the meta-analysis showed that both HDDT and BQT achieved similar efficacy of intention-to-treat (ITT) eradication rate, 85.5% versus 87.2%, RR 1.01 (95% CI: 0.96-1.06), P = .63, and of per-protocol (PP) eradication rate, 88.4% versus 91.5%, RR 1.00 (95% CI: 0.96-1.04), P = .99, and adherence 97.8% versus 95.0%, RR 1.01 (95% CI: 0.99-1.04), P = .32, but side effects were more likely in BQT (14.4% vs 40.4%, RR 0.42 (95% CI: 0.32-0.54), P <.00001).

CONCLUSION

Both HDDT and BQT can achieve similar eradication rate for H pylori infection and adherence, and generally HDDT causes fewer side effects.