Sequential Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Infection in Korea: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sequential therapy versus quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A prospective double-blinded randomized controlled trial

Backgrounds and Aims

This controlled randomized clinical trial was designed to compare effectiveness, side effects, and severity of symptoms before and after therapy between quadruple (QT) and sequential regimens (SQ) for Helicobacter Pylori (H. pylori).

Methods

Patients were randomly allocated into two groups. Group A received a 14-day QT including pantoprazole 40 mg q12 h, bismuth subcitrate 240 mg q12 h, clarithromycin 500 mg q12 h, and amoxicillin 1000 mg q12 h and group B received ST including pantoprazole 40 mg q12 h and amoxicillin 1000 mg q12 h for the initial 5 days followed by pantoprazole 40 mg q12 h, clarithromycin 500 mg q12 h and tinidazole 500 mg q12 h for the next 5 days. Adverse drug reactions and patients' compliance were assessed after finishing the treatment course and also 4 weeks after. All patients were naive, therefore ST and QT were first-line therapies. To evaluate severity of symptoms we used Short-Form Leeds Dyspepsia Questionnaire (SF-LDQ) before taking the first dose of regimens, at the end of therapy, and also 4 weeks after (follow-up).

Results

The mean age in Group A (n = 83) was 48.55 ± 12.56 and 47.24 ± 12.78 in Group B (n = 79). No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups regarding age, gender, endoscopic findings, and also eradication rate. The analysis demonstrated a significant decrease in SF-LDQ score between baseline and after therapy and baseline and follow-up in both regimen groups. Both regimens were well tolerated by the majority of patients, and there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of adverse drug reactions.

Conclusion

This study showed that ST can be used as an alternative first-line therapy to QT in patients with H. pylori infection.

Randomized Clinical Trial on the Efficacy of Triple Therapy Versus Sequential Therapy in Helicobacter pylori Eradication

Introduction: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) colonization is prevalent all over the world, and it is associated with low socioeconomic status, poor hygiene, and overcrowding. Its eradication is important since it is an etiologic agent for gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastric carcinoma, and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma. Different regimens are available for the eradication of H. pylori and include triple therapy and sequential therapy. Our study aims to compare the efficacy of triple therapy versus sequential therapy in the eradication of H. pylori.

Material and methods: This randomized clinical trial was conducted at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Hospital, Islamabad, from September 2016 to September 2017 after the approval of the institutional review board. A total of 160 patients were enrolled and equally divided into two, group A and group B. A twice-daily dose of amoxicillin 1,000 mg, rabeprazole 20 mg, and clarithromycin 500 mg was given to group A for 10 days, while group B was initially given rabeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 1,000 mg two times daily for the first five days (i.e., induction phase), followed by triple therapy that included rabeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg, and metronidazole/tinidazole 500 mg twice daily for the next five days. A negative stool antigen test performed four weeks after the completion of therapy was considered an effective eradication. A proforma was used to collect data that included age, gender, city or province of residence, family income, group (group A or group B), and eradication efficacy. Analysis of the data was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, USA).

Results: A total of 160 patients were included, with mean age and standard deviation of 40.02±24.4 years. The male/female ratio was 1.8:1. Successful eradication of H. pylori achieved in group A was 67.5% (N=54) in comparison to group B, which was 95% (N=76) (p=0.001).

Conclusion: Sequential therapy was superior to triple therapy in H. pylori eradication.

Role of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing before First-Line Treatment Containing Clarithromycin for Helicobacter pylori Eradication in the Clinical Setting

BACKGROUND

Checking Helicobacter pylori susceptibility tests in the clinical setting before first-line treatment is considered difficult. We compared susceptibility-guided therapy (SGT) with empirical therapy (ET) as a first-line treatment containing clarithromycin and investigated the eradication rate using antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST).

METHODS

257 patients with H. pylori infection, with AST, performed before the eradication of clarithromycin-containing regimens were enrolled and divided into two groups: the SGT and ET groups.

RESULTS

Eradication rates in the SGT and ET groups were 85.4% and 58.4% (P < 0.01), respectively. In triple therapy (TT), eradication rates of the SGT and ET groups were 85.1% and 56.6% (P < 0.01), respectively. In sequential therapy (SET), eradication rates of the SGT and ET groups were 86.2% and 65.6% (P = 0.06), respectively. According to AST, TT had an eradication rate of 84.6% with strains susceptible to clarithromycin and amoxicillin and 11.1% with strains resistant to both. SET had an eradication rate of 89.5% with strains susceptible to clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and metronidazole, whereas it was 0% with strains resistant to clarithromycin and metronidazole.

CONCLUSIONS

SGT as first-line treatment improved eradication rates of TT and SET by 28.5 (P < 0.01) and 20.6 (P = 0.06) percent points, respectively, compared with ET.

Efficacy of a novel sequential treatment regimen containing bismuth for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Turkish children

BACKGROUND

Eradication rates of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) with standard triple therapy are gradually decreasing all over the world, including in children, due to the development of strains resistant to antimicrobials. Sequential therapy can be used as an alternative method to increase eradication rates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 75 patients ≥ 8 years of age with H pylori gastritis were included in the study. According to Rome IV criteria, 38 patients had functional abdominal pain and dyspepsia, and 37 patients had alarm findings suggesting organic disease. Patients were treated with a novel sequential therapy consisting of the proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-lansoprazole (1 mg/kg/day, maximum 30 mg daily), amoxicillin (50 mg/kg/d in two doses, maximum 2 × 1000 mg) for 7 days followed by PPI-lansoprazole (1 mg/kg/d, maximum 30 mg daily), metronidazole (20 mg/kg/day in two doses, maximum 2 x 500 mg), tetracycline (50 mg/kg/d divided into four equal doses, maximum 4 x 500 mg), and bismuth subsalicylate (262 mg QID in patients ≤ 10 years of age, 524 mg QID in patients > 10 years of age in days 8-14). Eradication status was evaluated by H pylori stool antigen test 8 weeks after the completion of treatment.

RESULTS

The mean age of the patients was 15.1 ± 2.4 years and 51 (68%) were female. No patient discontinued therapy due to side effects. All patients had antral gastritis (76.0%) or pangastritis (24.0%). The peptic ulcer rate was 6.6%. Eradication therapy was given to all patients with or without peptic ulcer. H pylori eradication was achieved in 69 (92.0%) patients and symptoms improved in 61 of those eradicated.

CONCLUSIONS

As a first-line treatment for H pylori eradication in children, administering a novel sequential therapy including bismuth for 14 days provides a high rate of eradication.

Ten-Day Concomitant, 10-Day Sequential, and 7-Day Triple Therapy as First-Line Treatment for Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Nationwide Randomized Trial in Korea

BACKGROUND/AIMS

This nationwide, multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of 10-day concomitant therapy (CT) and 10-day sequential therapy (ST) with 7-day clarithromycin-containing triple therapy (TT) as first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection in the Korean population.

METHODS

Patients with H. pylori infection were assigned randomly to 7d-TT (lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, and clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily for 7 days), 10d-ST (lansoprazole 30 mg and amoxicillin 1 g twice daily for the first 5 days, followed by lansoprazole 30 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg, and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for the remaining 5 days), or 10d-CT (lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg, and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 10 days). The primary endpoint was eradication rate by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 1,141 patients were included. The 10d-CT protocol achieved a markedly higher eradication rate than the 7d-TT protocol in both the ITT (81.2% vs 63.9%) and PP analyses (90.6% vs 71.4%). The eradication rate of the 10d-ST protocol was superior to that of the 7d-TT protocol (76.3% vs 63.9%, ITT analysis; 85.0% vs 71.4%, PP analysis). No significant differences in adherence or serious side effects were found among the three treatment arms.

CONCLUSIONS

The 10d-CT and 10d-ST regimens were superior to the 7d-TT regimen as standard first-line treatment in Korea.

[The Efficacy of Bismuth-containing Quadruple Therapy after Moxifloxacin-based Sequential Therapy Failure in Helicobacter pylori Eradication]

Background/Aims

Moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy showed an excellent eradication rate as the first line treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. However, to the best of our knowledge, there were only a few studies on the treatment of those with failed moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy. Hence, this study was to investigate the efficacy of bismuth-containing quadruple therapy in those with failed moxifloxacin-based sequential or reverse sequential therapy for H. pylori eradication.

Methods

Between January 2013 and March 2016, we retrospectively analyzed patients who failed to eradicate H. pylori using moxifloxacin-based sequential (rabeprazole 20 mg bid and amoxicillin 1 g bid for 5-7 days, followed by rabeprazole 20 mg bid, metronidazole 500 mg bid, and moxifloxacin 400 mg qd for 5-7 days) and 10 days moxifloxacin-based reverse sequential therapy as the first line treatment. Then we investigated the eradication rates of bismuth-containing quadruple therapy as the second line treatment. All subjects had no history of H. pylori eradication before. Eradication rates were described as intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses. H. pylori status was evaluated by ¹³C-urea breath test 6 weeks after the end of the treatment. Moreover, we examined any side effects that caused discontinuation of therapy.

Results

Twenty-three patients received bismuth-containing quadruple therapy as the second line treatment. The overall eradication rates by ITT and PP analyses were 60.87% (n=14/23) and 73.68% (n=14/19). All the patients showed good compliance, and there were no serious adverse events.

Conclusions

Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy is insufficient as the second line eradication treatment after a failed attempt of moxifloxacin-based sequential or reverse sequential therapy. Large-scale clinical trials should be performed to establish better clinical evidence.

First-line Helicobacter pylori eradication therapies in countries with high and low clarithromycin resistance: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To determine the optimal regimen of different first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication therapies according to the clarithromycin resistance rate.

DESIGN

Electronic search for articles published between January 2005 and April 2016. Randomised, controlled trials that reported the effectiveness of first-line eradication therapies in treatment-naïve adults were included. Two independent reviewers performed articles screening and data extraction. Network and traditional meta-analyses were conducted using the random effect model. Subgroup analyses were performed to determine the ranking of regimens in countries with high (>15%) and low (<15%) clarithromycin resistance. Data including adverse events and therapeutic cure rate were also extracted and analysed.

RESULTS

117 trials (totally 32 852 patients) for 17 H. pylori eradication regimens were eligible for inclusion. Compared with 7-day clarithromycin-based triple therapy, sequential therapy (ST) for 14 days had the highest effectiveness (OR=3.74, 95% CrI 2.37 to 5.96). ST-14 (OR=6.53, 95% CrI 3.23 to 13.63) and hybrid therapy (HY) for 10 days or more (OR=2.85, 95% CrI 1.58 to 5.37) represented the most effective regimen in areas with high and low clarithromycin resistance, respectively. The effectiveness of standard triple therapy was below therapeutic eradication rate in most of the countries. Longer duration was associated with higher eradication rate, but with a higher risk of events that lead to discontinuation.

CONCLUSIONS

ST and HY appeared to be the most effective therapies in countries with high and low clarithromycin resistance, respectively. The clinical decision for optimal regimen can be supported by referring to the rank ordering of relative efficacies stratified by local eradication rates, antibiotic resistance and safety profile.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

CRD42015025445.

Concomitant, sequential, and 7-day triple therapy in first-line treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background

Most international guidelines recommend triple-therapy regimens consisting of a proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin/metronidazole for at least 7 days for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori. However, the efficacy of 7-day clarithromycin-based standard triple therapy for H. pylori infection is currently unacceptable in Korea. In this study, we will compare the efficacy and safety of 7-day standard triple therapy, 10-day sequential therapy, and 10-day concomitant therapy for the first-line treatment of H. pylori infection in Korea.

Methods/design

In this multicenter, investigator-blinded, randomized trial we are recruiting adult patients with H. pylori infection from 15 hospitals in Korea to determine whether sequential or concomitant treatment is superior to standard triple therapy. Patients are randomly assigned to receive either standard triple therapy (lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin) for 7 days, or sequential treatment (lansoprazole and amoxicillin for the first 5 days, followed by lansoprazole, clarithromycin, and metronidazole for another 5 days) for 10 days, or concomitant therapy (lansoprazole, amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole) for 10 days. The primary outcome is the rate of H. pylori eradication in the intention-to-treat population.

Discussion

The results of this study will be crucial for determining the optimal regimen for the primary treatment of H. pylori infection in Korea. This study will produce vital evidence that will lead to revisions to guidelines concerning first-line treatment regimens for H. pylori infection.

Trial registration

Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS), Republic of Korea, KCT0001980. Registered on 25 July 2016.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-2281-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Randomized clinical trial comparing 10- or 14-day sequential therapy and 10- or 14-day concomitant therapy for the first line empirical treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Whether concomitant therapy is superior to sequential therapy (ST) as first-line therapy of Helicobacter pylori in areas with high clarithromycin resistance remains controversial. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and tolerability of 10- or 14-day ST with 10- or 14-day concomitant therapy (CT).

METHODS

This was a prospective randomized study comparing 10- or 14-day ST with 10- or 14-day CT. The ST-10 and ST-14 groups received pantoprazole 40 mg and amoxicillin 1 g twice a day for the first 5 and 7 days followed by pantoprazole 40 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg, and metronidazole 500 mg twice a day for the remaining 5 and 7 days, respectively. The CT-10 and CT-14 groups received pantoprazole 40 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg, and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 10 and 14 days, respectively.

RESULTS

Three hundred forty-one patients were randomly allocated to the four groups. The modified intention-to-treat eradication rates of ST-10, ST-14, CT-10, and CT-14 were 91.7%, 91.2%, 94.2%, and 98.5%, respectively. The corresponding per protocol eradication rates were 91.4%, 91.0%, 95.6%, and 98.5%. There was no difference in compliance and adverse events in the four groups. Eradication rates increased sequentially with statistical significance in the following order: ST-10, ST-14, CT-10, and CT-14 (P = 0.044).

CONCLUSIONS

All four regimens achieved eradication rates >90% in per protocol analyses in a country with high clarithromycin resistance. There was no difference in tolerability among the four regimens.

Triple therapy versus sequential therapy for the first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication

Background

The eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) with triple therapy which was considered as standard first-line treatment has decreased to 70–85%. The aim of this study is to compare 7-day triple therapy versus 10-day sequential therapy as the first line treatment.

Methods

Data of 1240 H. pylori positive patients treated with triple therapy or sequential therapy from January 2013 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients who had undertaken previous H. pylori eradication therapy or gastric surgery were excluded.

Results

There were 872 (74.3%) patients in the triple therapy group, and 302 (25.7%) patients in the sequential therapy group. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding age, residence, comorbidities or drug compliance, but several differences were noted in endoscopic characteristics and indication for the treatment. The eradication rate of H. pylori by intention to treat analysis was 64.3% in the triple therapy group, and 81.9% in the sequential therapy group (P = 0.001). In per protocol analysis, H. pylori eradication rate in the triple therapy and sequential therapy group was 81.9 and 90.3%, respectively (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference in overall adverse events between the two groups (P = 0.706). For the rescue therapy, bismuth-containing quadruple therapy showed comparable treatment efficacy after sequential therapy, as following triple therapy.

Conclusions

The eradication rate of triple therapy was below the recommended threshold. Sequential therapy could be effective and tolerable candidate for the first-line H. pylori eradication therapy.

A Comparison of Five Different Treatment Regimens as the First-Line Treatment of Helicobacter pylori in Turkey

BACKGROUND

The H. pylori eradication success is low in countries with high antibiotic resistance to H. pylori.

OBJECTIVE

We retrospectively assessed the eradication rates achieved by five different regimens and aimed to compare the efficiency of bismuth enhanced sequential therapy and other treatments in a gastroenterology outpatient clinic a university-affiliated hospital.

DESIGN

Our study was carried out with a retrospective cohort design.

SETTING

This study assessed the gastroscopy examinations of patients.

PATIENTS

A total of 621 patients were included in the study. There were 122 patients in the quadruple treatment group, 168 patients in the classical sequential treatment group, 130 patients in the bismuth enhanced sequential therapy, 113 patients in the sequential treatment with levofloxacin, and 88 patients in the hybrid treatment.

MEASUREMENTS

Eradication rates of different regimens was analyzed by performing Chi-square and Tukey's honest significant difference test.

RESULTS

Eradication rates by ITT and PP analysis achieved by treatment groups were 74.6 and 75.6% in the quadruple treatment; 70.2 and 70.4% in the sequential treatment with clarithromycin, 88.5 and 90.3% in the bismuth enhanced sequential therapy, 77.9 and 78.5% in the sequential treatment with levofloxacin, and 76.1 and 76.2% in the hybrid treatment.

LIMITATIONS

The main limitation of our study was its retrospective nature. Different proton pump inhibitors were used in the treatment arms.

CONCLUSIONS

Bismuth-enhanced sequential therapy can be recommended to overcome resistance.

Comparison of sequential therapy and amoxicillin/tetracycline containing bismuth quadruple therapy for the first-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori: a prospective, multi-center, randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND

The <80 % Helicobacter pylori eradication rate with sequential therapy is unsatisfactory. Modified bismuth quadruple therapy, replacing metronidazole with amoxicillin, could be promising because H. pylori resistance to tetracycline or to amoxicillin is relatively low. A 14-day modified bismuth quadruple protocol as first-line H. pylori treatment was compared with 10-day sequential therapy.

METHODS

In total, 390 H. pylori-infected subjects participated in the randomized clinical trial: 10-day sequential therapy (40 mg pantoprazole plus 1 g amoxicillin twice a day for 5 days, then 40 mg pantoprazole and 500 mg clarithromycin twice a day and 500 mg metronidazole three times a day for 5 days) or 14-day modified bismuth quadruple therapy (40 mg pantoprazole, 600 mg bismuth subcitrate, 1 g tetracycline, and 1 g amoxicillin, twice a day). (13)C-urea breath test, rapid urease testing, or histology was performed to check for eradication.

RESULTS

Intention-to-treat (ITT) eradication rates of 10-day sequential and 14-day quadruple therapy were 74.6 % and 68.7 %, respectively, and the per-protocol (PP) rates were 84.2 and 76.5 %, respectively. The eradication rate was higher in the sequential therapy group, but neither the ITT nor the PP analyses had a significant difference (P = 0.240 and P = 0.099, respectively). However, the adverse events were significantly lower in the modified bismuth quadruple therapy group than the sequential therapy group (36.9 vs. 47.7 %, P = 0.040).

CONCLUSIONS

Ten-day sequential therapy appears to be more effective despite frequent adverse events. However, both 10-day SQT and 14-day PBAT did not reach the excellent eradication rates that exceed 90 %. Additional trials are needed to identify a more satisfactory first-line eradication therapy.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT02159976 ); Registration date: 2014-06-03, CRIS ( KCT0001176 ); Registration date: 2014-07-23.

Sequential Therapy versus Triple Therapy for the First Line Treatment of Helicobacter pylori in Korea: A Nationwide Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection with standard triple therapy (TT) has declined primarily because of increased antibiotic resistance. Sequential therapy (ST) has been suggested as an alternative to TT for the first-line treatment of H. pylori. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of ST with TT.

METHODS

This was a multicenter, randomized open-label trial performed at nine centers in Korea. Patients with H. pylori infection were randomly assigned to receive either 7 day TT or 10 day ST. Eradication rates, drug compliance, and adverse events were compared among the two regimens.

RESULTS

A total of 601 patients were enrolled between March 2011 and September 2014. The intention-to-treat eradication rates were 70.8% for TT and 82.4% for ST (p=0.001). The corresponding per protocol eradication rates were 76.9% and 88.8% for TT and ST, respectively (p=0.000). There were no statistically significant differences between the two regimens with respect to drug compliance and adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

ST achieved better eradication rates than TT as a first-line therapy for H. pylori eradication in Korea.

Nonbismuth concomitant quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Chinese regions: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

AIM: To evaluate the applicability of nonbismuth concomitant quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication in Chinese regions.

METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to evaluate the efficacy of nonbismuth concomitant quadruple therapy between sequential therapy or triple therapy for H. pylori eradication in Chinese regions. The defined Chinese regions include China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. The primary outcome was the H. pylori eradication rate; the secondary outcome was the compliance with therapy. The PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies published in the period up to March 2016 with no language restriction.

RESULTS: We reviewed six randomized controlled trials and 1616 patients. In 3 trials comparing concomitant quadruple therapy with triple therapy, the H. pylori eradication rate was significantly higher for 7-d nonbismuth concomitant quadruple therapy than for 7-d triple therapy (91.2% vs 77.9%, risk ratio = 1.17, 95%CI: 1.09-1.25). In 3 trials comparing quadruple therapy with sequential therapy, the eradication rate was not significant between groups (86.9% vs 86.0%). However, higher compliance was achieved with concomitant therapy than with sequential therapy.

CONCLUSION: The H. pylori eradication rate was higher for nonbismuth concomitant quadruple therapy than for triple therapy. Moreover, higher compliance was achieved with nonbismuth concomitant quadruple therapy than with sequential therapy. Thus, nonbismuth concomitant quadruple therapy should be the first-line treatment in Chinese regions.

The impact of bismuth addition to sequential treatment on Helicobacter pylori eradication: A pilot study

The success of the current anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) treatment protocols is reported to decrease by years, and research is needed to strengthen the H. pylori eradication treatment. Sequential treatment (ST), one of the treatment modalities for H. pylori eradication, includes amoxicillin 1 gr b.i.d and proton pump inhibitor b.i.d for first 5 days and then includes clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d, metronidazole 500 mg b.i.d and a proton pump inhibitor b.i.d for remaining 5 days. In this study, we investigated efficacy and tolerability of bismuth addition in to ST. We included patients that underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in which H. pylori infection was diagnosed by histological examination of antral and corporal gastric mucosa biopsy. Participants were randomly administered ST or bismuth containing ST (BST) protocols for the first-line H. pylori eradication therapy. Participants have been tested by urea breath test for eradication success 6 weeks after the completion of treatment. One hundred and fifty patients (93 female, 57 male) were enrolled. There were no significant differences in eradication rates for both intention to treat population (70.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 66.3-74.1% vs. 71.8%, 95% CI: 61.8-81.7%, for ST and BST, respectively, p>0.05) and per protocol population (74.6%, 95% CI: 63.2-85.8% vs. 73.7%, 95% CI: 63.9-83.5% for ST and BST, respectively, p>0.05). Despite the undeniable effect of bismuth, there may be several possible reasons of unsatisfactory eradication success. Drug administration time, coadministration of other drugs, possible H. pylori resistance to bismuth may affect the eradication success. The addition of bismuth subcitrate to ST regimen does not provide significant increase in eradication rates.

Efficacy of moxifloxacin-based sequential and hybrid therapy for first-line Helicobacter pylori eradication

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy (MBST) versus hybrid therapy as a first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

METHODS: From August 2014 to January 2015, 284 patients with confirmed H. pylori infection were randomized to receive a 14-d course of MBST (MBST group, n = 140) or hybrid (Hybrid group, n = 144) therapy. The MBST group received 20 mg rabeprazole and 1 g amoxicillin twice daily for 7 d, followed by 20 mg rabeprazole and 500 mg metronidazole twice daily, and 400 mg moxifloxacin once daily for 7 d. The Hybrid group received 20 mg rabeprazole and 1 g amoxicillin twice daily for 14 d. In addition, the Hybrid group received 500 mg metronidazole and 500 mg clarithromycin twice daily for the final 7 d. Successful eradication of H. pylori infection was defined as a negative ¹³C-urea breath test 4 wk after the end of treatment. Patient compliance was defined as “good” if drug intake was at least 85%. H. pylori eradication rates, patient compliance with treatment, and adverse event rates were evaluated.

RESULTS: The eradication rates in the intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis were 91.4% (128/140; 95%CI: 90.2%-92.9%) in the MBST group and 79.2% (114/144; 95%CI: 77.3%-80.7%) in the Hybrid group (P = 0.013). The eradication rates in the per-protocol (PP) analysis were 94.1% (128/136; 95%CI: 92.9%-95.6%) in the MBST group and 82.6% (114/138; 95%CI: 80.6%-84.1%) in the Hybrid group (P = 0.003). The H. pylori eradication rate in the MBST group was significantly higher than that of the Hybrid group for both the ITT (P = 0.013) and the PP analyses (P = 0.003). Both groups exhibited full compliance with treatment (MBST/Hybrid group: 100%/100%). The rate of adverse events was 11.8% (16/136) and 19.6% (27/138) in the MBST and Hybrid group, respectively (P = 0.019). The majority of adverse events were mild-to-moderate in intensity; none were severe enough to cause discontinuation of treatment in either group.

CONCLUSION: MBST was more effective and led to fewer adverse events than hybrid therapy as a first-line treatment for H. pylori infection.

Sequential or concomitant therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection with triple therapy (TT) has declined in many countries prompting the search for alternative regimens. Sequential therapy (ST) and concomitant therapy (CT) have been suggested as first-line regimens in areas of high clarithromycin resistance. We performed a meta-analysis to compare the eradication rates of CT with ST for H. pylori.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search for studies comparing the efficacy of CT with ST was performed. Dichotomous data were pooled to obtain the odds ratio (OR) of the eradication rate with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The eradication rates were considered both on an intention-to-treat (ITT) and on a per-protocol (PP) bases.

RESULTS

A total of 7 studies provided data on 2412 adult patients. Pooled estimates of the studies revealed no significant differences between CT and ST. The pooled OR was 1.116 (95% CI: 0.795-1.567, P = 0.526) for ITT analysis and 1.153 (95% CI: 0.793-1.677, P = 0.455) for PP analysis. There was no difference in the rate of adverse events (OR: 1.229, 95% CI: 0.971-1.556, P = 0.086) and compliance (OR: 0.945, 95% CI: 0.722-1.237, P = 0.681) between the two regimens. Subgroup analysis was performed to compare CT of 10 days and 5 days with ST of 10 days. The pooled OR was 1.518 for CT of 10 days and 0.636 for CT of 5 days.

CONCLUSIONS

CT regimens did not achieve higher eradication rates compared with the ST regimen. The adverse events and adherence to medications were not different between the two regimens.

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Korea: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The efficacy of seven-day clarithromycin-based standard triple therapy (STT) for Helicobacter pylori has decreased in Korea over the past decade. The aim of this meta-analysis was to clarify the efficacy of first-line and second-line therapies in Korea. This systematic review will provide an overview of H. pylori eradication and present new therapeutic strategies used in Korea. An extensive search of the literature concerning STT, sequential therapy (SET), concomitant therapy (CT), bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (BCQT) and various other therapies used in Korea was performed. All selected studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Eighteen RCTs were eligible for systematic review. The alternative regimens comparing seven-day STT as a first-line therapy include SET, CT, levofloxacin-based therapy (LBT), BCQT, and STT with prolonged duration. The results of the meta-analysis suggest that SET is superior to seven-day STT. The overall eradication rate by intention to treat (ITT) analysis was 69.8% for STT and 79.7% for SET. The overall eradication rate by per-protocol (PP) analysis was 77.0% for STT and 85.0% for SET. The odds ratios for the ITT and PP eradication rate were 0.57 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43 to 0.74) and 0.52 (95% CI, 0.35 to 0.76), respectively. In the subgroup analysis, however, there were no significant differences between SET and STT with prolonged durations. Alternative regimens to seven-day BCQT as second-line therapy include LBT, moxifloxacin-based therapy and 14-day BCQT. The eradication rates of these alternative regimens were not superior to that of the conventional treatment. SET is superior to seven-day STT but not to STT with prolonged duration.

Optimised empiric triple and concomitant therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication in clinical practice: the OPTRICON study

BACKGROUND

Empiric triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori should be abandoned when clarithromycin resistance rate is >15-20%. Optimisation of triple therapy (high-dose acid suppression and 14-day duration) can increase eradication rates by 10%.

AIM

To compare the efficacy and safety of optimised triple (OPT-TRI) and nonbismuth quadruple concomitant (OPT-CON) therapies.

METHODS

Prospective multicentre study in 16 Spanish centres using triple therapy in clinical practice. In a 3-month two-phase fashion, the first 402 patients received an OPT-TRI therapy [esomeprazole (40 mg b.d.), amoxicillin (1 g b.d) and clarithromycin (500 mg b.d) for 14 days] and the last 375 patients an OPT-CON treatment [OPT-TRI therapy plus metronidazole (500 mg b.d)].

RESULTS

Seven-hundred seventy-seven consecutive patients were included (402 OPT-TRI, 375 OPT-CON). The OPT-CON therapy achieved significantly higher eradication rates in the per-protocol [82.3% (95% CI = 78-86%) vs. 93.8% (91-96%), P < 0.001] and intention-to-treat analysis [81.3% (78-86%) vs. 90.4% (87-93%), P < 0.001]. Adverse events (97% mild/moderate) were significantly more common with OPT-CON therapy (39% vs. 47%, P = 0.016), but full compliance with therapy was similar between groups (94% vs. 92%, P = 0.4). OPT-CON therapy was the only significant predictor of successful eradication (odds ratio, 2.24; 95% CI: 1.48-3.51, P < 0.001). The rate of participating centres achieving cure rates ≥ 90% favoured OPT-CON therapy (OPT-TRI 25% vs. OPT-CON 62%).

CONCLUSIONS

Empiric OPT-CON therapy achieved significantly higher cure rates (>90%) compared to OPT-TRI therapy. Addition of metronidazole to OPT-TRI therapy increased eradication rates by 10%, resulting in more mild adverse effects, but without impairing compliance with therapy.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of levofloxacin-containing versus standard sequential therapy in eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea

BACKGROUND

Declining of eradication rates for Helicobacter pylori in Korea may be partly from the increasing prevalence of antibiotic resistance, especially clarithromycin resistance.

AIM

To compare the efficacy and the safety of using 10-day standard sequential therapy and levofloxacin-containing sequential therapy as a first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori eradication in Korea.

METHODS

A total of 200 patients with proven Helicobacter pylori infection randomly received 10-day standard sequential therapy (n = 100) or levofloxacin-containing sequential therapy (n = 100). The standard sequential therapy group received rabeprazole and amoxicillin for 5 days, followed by rabeprazole, clarithromycin, and metronidazole for 5 more days. The levofloxacin-containing sequential therapy group was treated with rabeprazole and amoxicillin for 5 days, followed by rabeprazole, levofloxacin, and metronidazole for 5 more days.

RESULTS

Intention-to-treat eradication rates were 79.0% and 78.0% for groups of standard sequential and levofloxacin-containing sequential therapy, respectively (P = 0.863). Per-protocol eradication rates were 84.9% and 81.3%, respectively, for these two therapies (P = 0.498). There were no significant differences between the groups in regard to the eradication rates and adverse events.

CONCLUSIONS

The 10-day levofloxacin-containing sequential regimen and the standard sequential regimen showed the similar eradication rates of Helicobacter pylori in Korea.

[Future trends of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in Korea]

The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea shows a decreasing trend and has changed to that of developed country, especially for those below 30 years old. However, the primary antibiotic resistance rates are higher than those of developed countries. The reason for the decrease in the efficacy of standard triple therapy is mainly due to the increase in the resistance against clarithromycin. Sequential therapy seems to be more effective than the standard triple therapy, but the intention-to-treat eradication rate of sequential therapy in Korea, which is mostly under 80.0%, is still not satisfactory. Therefore, a promising regimen is needed. Recently, the Japanese health insurance system admitted 'H. pylori-infected gastritis'as an indication of eradication. Furthermore, the Kyoto Consensus Meeting on H. pylori Gastritis held from January 30th to February 1st, 2014, proposed that 'all H. pylori positive patients should be offered to receive H. pylori eradication'. This suggests that the concept of eradication has been changed from 'treatment' to 'prevention'. Various individualized tailored therapy based on the polymorphism, age and other demographic factors and antibiotic resistance has been attempted to maximize H. pylori eradication therapy. The aim of this article is to review the current epidemiology, H. pylori resistance state, treatment guideline, and to assess the possible future strategy and treatment for H. pylori infection in Korea.

Quinolone-containing therapies in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori

Fluoroquinolones, especially levofloxacin, are used in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori worldwide. Many consensus guidelines recommend that the second-line rescue therapy for H. pylori eradication consists of a proton pump inhibitor, a quinolone, and amoxicillin as an option. Unfortunately, quinolone is well associated with a risk of developing bacterial resistance. In this paper, we review quinolone-containing H. pylori eradication regimens and the challenges that influence the efficacy of eradication. It is generally suggested that the use of levofloxacin should be confined to “rescue” therapy only, in order to avoid a further rapid increase in the resistance of H. pylori to quinolone. The impact of quinolone-containing H. pylori eradication regimens on public health issues such as tuberculosis treatment must always be taken into account. Exposure to quinolone is relevant to delays in diagnosing tuberculosis and the development of drug resistance. Extending the duration of treatment to 14 days improves eradication rates by >90%. Tailored therapy to detect fluoroquinolone-resistant strains can be done by culture-based and molecular methods to provide better eradication rates. Molecular methods are achieved by using a real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect the presence of a gyrA mutation, which is predictive of treatment failure with quinolones-containing triple therapy.

Sequential therapy versus standard triple therapy in Helicobacter pylori eradication in a high clarithromycin resistance setting

Sequential treatment scheme has been developed to overcome resistance problem in H. pylori eradication and favorable results have been obtained. This study compared the results of standard triple therapy with a sequential schema consisting of pantoprazole, amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole in a high anti-microbial resistance setting. This retrospective study included subjects that underwent standard or sequential eradication treatment after a diagnosis of biopsy-documented H. pylori infection. Patients either received pantoprazole 40 mg bid, amoxicillin 1000 mg bid and clarithromycin 500 mg bid (PAC) for 10 days, or pantoprazole 40 mg bid and amoxicillin 1000 mg bid (PA) for the first 5 days of the treatment period and were then given pantoprazole 40 mg bid, clarithromycin 500 mg bid, and metronidazole 500 mg bid (PCM) in the remaining 5 days. Eradication was tested using urea breath test. The two treatment groups did not differ with regard to H. pylori eradication rate for both ITT population (63.9% versus 71.4% for standard and sequential therapy respectively, P = 0.278) and per protocol population (65.9% versus 74.1% for standard and sequential therapy respectively, P = 0.248). Although a sequential treatment appears to represent a plausible alternative, our findings suggest that alternative schedules may be required in certain populations to achieve higher success rates.

[New therapeutic strategies against Helicobacter pylori]

The standard therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea is a triple-drug regimen consisting of a proton pump inhibitor with two antibiotics such as clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and metronidazole. However, as the eradication rate of this regimen has declined over the past decade, this prompted the formulation of new therapeutic regimens. New therapeutic strategies against H. pylori infection that had been tried all over the world include sequential therapy, concomitant therapy, and tailored therapy This article will review the basic concepts and the results of previous clinical trials on the aforementioned new therapeutic regiments.