Amoxicillin, gemifloxacin and rabeprazole, as first-line Helicobacter pylori therapy in clinical practice: A pilot study

Success in eradication of H. pylori is decreasing due to increasing resistant strains. In particular, side-effects due to 4-agent treatment multiple drug use are observed and treatment compliance decreases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, reliability, and side-effect profile of the combination of amoxicillin and rabeprazole with gemifloxacin, which is a new generation quinolone, in the treatment of H. pylori infection. This study was conducted on 71 naive patients who received H. pylori eradication. All the patients were administered treatment of Amoxicillin (1000 mg twice a day) + Gemifloxacin (320 mg once a day) + rabeprazole (20 mg twice a day) for 7 days. Drug compliance and treatment tolerance were evaluated after finishing the treatment. At 1 month after the end of the treatment, H. pylori eradication was evaluated in all the patients by examining H. pylori antigen in the feces. In the evaluation after treatment, H. pylori eradication was obtained in 63 (88.7%) patients and eradication was not obtained in 8 (11.3%) patients. The treatment was not completed by 2 patients because of side-effects and noncompliance, so after exclusion of these 2 patients, successful H. pylori eradication was obtained in 63 (91.3%) of 69 patients who completed the treatment. Side-effects were seen in a total of 9 (12.7%) patients. Diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain, and nausea-vomiting were seen in some patients, but no reflux, constipation, skin rash, listlessness-fatigue, headache, dizziness, palpitations, dry mouth, or weight loss was seen in any patient. In regions with high resistance to clarithromycin and metronidazole in particular, the combination of gemifloxacin with amoxicillin and rabeprazole can be considered for use in first-stage treatment as both the efficacy and tolerability are high.

Therapeutic efficacy and safety of Kangfuxin in combination with rabeprazole in the treatment of peptic ulcer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Kangfuxin (KFX), a well-known Chinese patent medicine which extracted from Periplaneta americana, is widely used as an adjuvant in the treatment of peptic ulcers (PUs) with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as rabeprazole, in China. However, no clear consensus has been reached on the efficacy for PU treatment.

METHODS

We searched in 7 electronic databases to find randomized controlled trials (RCTs) completed before May 31, 2020 to explore the clinical efficiency of KFX plus rabeprazole in the treatment of PU. Risk ratio (RR) corresponding to 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated to estimate the outcomes. Publication bias was assessed by both Egger's and Begg's tests. Statistical analyses were performed using RevMan 5.4 and Stata version 10.0.

RESULTS

Twenty-five RCTs, comprising 2555 PU patients, were included in this study. Meta-analysis showed that, when compared with rabeprazole-based treatment alone, KFX plus rabeprazole significantly improved the healing rate (RR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.25-1.44) and overall response rate of ulcers (RR = 1.16, 95% CI 1.13-1.20), alleviated the clinical symptoms of PU (RR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.08-1.21), and reduced the recurrence of PU (RR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.24-0.61) without an increase in the occurrence of adverse events (RR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.66-1.28).

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that KFX combined with rabeprazole showed positive therapeutic effects and is safe for treating PU, which may provide more reliable evidence for the clinical use of KFX in the treatment of PU.

Ilaprazole Compared With Rabeprazole in the Treatment of Duodenal Ulcer: A Randomized, Double-blind, Active-controlled, Multicenter Study

GOALS

The main goal of this study was to explore the dose-effect relationship of ilaprazole.

BACKGROUND

Ilaprazole is a kind of benzimidazole proton-pump inhibitor, which was confirmed efficacious and safe in treatment of duodenal ulcer (DU). However, the dose-effect relationship of ilaprazole was not clear.

STUDY

This was a double-blind, parallel, randomized study. Patients aged above 18 years with at least one endoscopically confirmed active nonmalignant DU were treated with rabeprazole 10 mg or ilaprazole 10 mg/5 mg for 4 weeks. Healing of ulcer was determined by its resolution from active to scarring stage. Symptoms relief was evaluated using a graded score. Safety and tolerability were evaluated on basis of clinical assessments.

RESULTS

A total of 390 patients completed the study finally. Ulcers were successfully healed in 75.38%, 77.86%, and 83.72% of patients after 4-week treatment with rabeprazole 10 mg, ilaprazole 5 mg, and ilaprazole 10 mg, respectively. The 4-week healing rate difference between rabeprazole 10 mg and ilaprazole 5 mg was 2.48% (95% confidence interval: -7.79% to 12.74%) leading to accept the noninferiority hypothesis. Logistic regression model suggested that ilaprazole 10 mg was superior to ilaprazole 5 mg at week 2 (odds ratio, 1.92; 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 3.59; P=0.04). Most patients (80%) became asymptomatic after treatment. At the dosages administered, the 3 drug groups exhibited similar efficacy and a similar safety profile.

CONCLUSIONS

Ilaprazole 5 mg is not inferior to rabeprazole 10 mg in treating DU, and a dose-effect relationship have been revealed between 5 mg and 10 mg of ilaprazole.

Proton pump inhibitor as an independent factor of progression of abdominal aortic calcification in patients on maintenance hemodialysis

BACKGROUNDS

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can be associated with vascular calcification in patients undergoing dialysis through hypomagnesemia. However, only few studies have demonstrated the influence of PPIs on vascular calcification in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). This study aimed to investigate whether the use of PPIs accelerates vascular calcification in patients on HD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 200 HD patients who underwent regular blood tests and computed tomography (CT) between 2016 and 2017. The abdominal aortic calcification index (ACI) was measured using abdominal CT. The difference in the ACI values between 2016 and 2017 was evaluated as ΔACI. Patients were divided into PPI and non-PPI groups, and variables, such as patient background, medication, laboratory data, and ΔACI were compared. Factors independently associated with higher ΔACI progression (≥ third tertile value of ΔACI in this study) were determined using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The PPI and non-PPI groups had 112 (56%) and 88 (44%) patients, respectively. Median and third tertile value of ΔACIs were 4.2% and 5.8%, respectively. Serum magnesium was significantly lower in the PPI (2.1 mg/dL) than in the non-PPI (2.3 mg/dL) group (P <0.001). Median ΔACI was significantly higher in the PPI (5.0%) than in the non-PPI (3.8%) group (P = 0.009). A total of 77 (39%) patients had a higher ΔACI. Multivariate analysis revealed that PPIs (odds ratio = 2.23; 95% confidence interval = 1.11-4.49), annual mean calcium phosphorus product, ACI in 2016, baseline serum magnesium levels, and HD vintage were independent factors associated with higher ΔACI progression after adjusting for confounders.

CONCLUSION

PPI use may accelerate vascular calcification in patients on HD. Further studies are necessary to elucidate their influence on vascular calcification.

Combining "Bottom-up" and "Top-down" Approaches to Assess the Impact of Food and Gastric pH on Pictilisib (GDC-0941) Pharmacokinetics

Pictilisib, a weakly basic compound, is an orally administered, potent, and selective pan-inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases for oncology indications. To investigate the significance of high-fat food and gastric pH on pictilisib pharmacokinetics (PK) and enable label recommendations, a dedicated clinical study was conducted in healthy volunteers, whereby both top-down (population PK, PopPK) and bottom-up (physiologically based PK, PBPK) approaches were applied to enhance confidence of recommendation and facilitate the clinical development through scenario simulations. The PopPK model identified food (for absorption rate constant (Ka )) and proton pump inhibitors (PPI, for relative bioavailability (Frel ) and Ka ) as significant covariates. Food and PPI also impacted the variability of Frel . The PBPK model accounted for the supersaturation tendency of pictilisib, and gastric emptying physiology successfully predicted the food and PPI effect on pictilisib absorption. Our research highlights the importance of applying both quantitative approaches to address critical drug development questions.

Comparative effectiveness and acceptability of the FDA-licensed proton pump inhibitors for erosive esophagitis: A PRISMA-compliant network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This study compared the effectiveness and acceptability of all Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-recommended dose proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in erosive esophagitis (EE): Dexlansoprazole 60 mg, Esomeprazole 40 mg, Esomeprazole 20 mg, Pantoprazole 40 mg, Lansoprazole 30 mg, Rabeprazole 20 mg, Omeprazole 20 mg.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Totally, 25 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met study selection criteria and were incorporated in this network meta-analysis (NMA) study.

RESULTS

For the NMA, eligible RCTs of adults with EE verified by endoscopic examination were randomly assigned to the licensed PPIs at least 4 weeks of continuous therapy. The primary efficacy outcome was the endoscopic healing rates at 4 and 8 weeks. Heartburn relief rates were a secondary efficacy outcome. The rates of withdrawal were analyzed as a safety outcome. In comparison to the common comparator omeprazole 20 mg, esomeprazole 40 mg provided significantly healing rates at 4 weeks [odds ratio (OR), 1.46 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI, 1.24-1.71)] and 8 weeks [1.58 (1.29-1.92)], and improved the heartburn relief rates [1.29 (1.07-1.56)]. In comparison to lansoprazole 30 mg, esomeprazole 40 mg provided significantly healing rates at 4 weeks [1.30 (1.10-1.53)] and 8 weeks [1.37 (1.13-1.67)], and improved the heartburn relief rates [1.29 (1.03-1.62)]. In terms of acceptability, only dexlansoprazole 60 mg had significantly more all-cause discontinuation than omeprazole 20 mg [1.54 (1.03-2.29)], pantoprazole 40 mg [1.68 (1.08-2.63)], and lansoprazole 30 mg [1.38 (1.02-1.88)].

CONCLUSION

The standard-dose esomeprazole 40 mg had more superiority in mucosal erosion healing and heartburn relief. Esomeprazole 40 mg, pantoprazole 40 mg, esomeprazole 20 mg, and lansoprazole 30 mg showed more benefits in effectiveness and acceptability than other interventions.

Therapeutic Response to Twice-daily Rabeprazole on Health-related Quality of Life and Symptoms in Patients with Refractory Reflux Esophagitis: A Multicenter Observational Study

Objective To investigate the effect of twice-daily rabeprazole doses on health-related quality of life in refractory patients. Methods and Patients Reflux esophagitis patients with an insufficient response to once-daily proton pump inhibitor therapy (Los Angeles Classification grade A-D) received rabeprazole 10 mg or 20 mg twice daily for 8 weeks. The health-related quality of life (SF-8™) and symptoms, using the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of Gastroesophageal reflux disease, were evaluated before treatment and at weeks 4 and 8. Endoscopy was performed at baseline and at weeks 8 and 32 where possible. The rabeprazole dose was determined by the attending physician. Results There were 1,796 patients analyzed for the efficacy of the twice-daily treatment. Of these cases, 1,462 were treated with rabeprazole 10 mg twice daily, and 334 were treated with rabeprazole 20 mg twice daily. The factors that affected the selection of the twice-daily rabeprazole dose by physicians were evaluated, and as expected, "endoscopic findings when treatment was started" had a strong effect on the selection of the rabeprazole dose. With both regimens, health-related quality of life and subjective symptoms were significantly improved at weeks 4 and 8 compared to baseline (p<0.001). The recurrence rate of erosive esophagitis at week 32 was 9.7% in rabeprazole twice daily-treated patients and 28.4% in proton pump inhibitor (PPI) once daily-treated patients. Both regimens were well tolerated. Conclusion Twice-daily treatment with rabeprazole improved the subjective symptoms and health-related quality of life in patients with refractory reflux esophagitis more effectively than the standard once-daily dose.

Proton Pump Inhibitors Increase Incidence of Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug-Induced Small Bowel Injury: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Some studies have reported a high incidence of small bowel injuries in 60%-80% of subjects who take nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and PPIs simultaneously. We performed a randomized, double-blind, controlled study to determine whether proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) exacerbate nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced small bowel injury.

METHODS

Fifty-seven healthy subjects were randomly assigned groups given the cyclooxygenase (COX) 2 inhibitor celecoxib (200 mg, twice daily) plus placebo for 2 weeks (COX-2 + placebo group, n = 30), or celecoxib plus the PPI rabeprazole (20 mg, once daily) for 2 weeks (COX-2 + PPI group, n = 27). The study was performed from October 2012 through September 2013 at a tertiary medical center in Japan. All subjects were evaluated by capsule endoscopy at the start of the study and then after 2 weeks administration of celecoxib with rabeprazole or placebo. The incidence rates and the numbers of small bowel injuries (ulcers and erosions) that were observed under capsule endoscopy were compared between groups. The primary endpoint was the incidence of mucosal injuries at the second capsule endoscopy examination.

RESULTS

A significantly higher proportion of subjects in the COX-2 + PPI group developed small bowel injury (12 of 27 subjects; 44.4%) than in the COX-2 + placebo group (5 of 30 subjects; 16.7%; P = .04). Subjects in the COX-2 + PPI group had a significant increase in risk of small bowel injury compared with the COX-2 + placebo group (relative risk, 2.67; 95% confidence interval, 1.08-6.58). The number of erosions in each member of the COX-2 + PPI group was greater than in each member of the COX-2 + placebo group (P = .02). The number of ulcers did not differ between groups. Twenty-six percent of subjects in the COX-2 + PPI group developed mucosal injury in the jejunum, compared with none of the subjects in the COX-2 + placebo group (P = .003); no such trend was found in the ileum.

CONCLUSIONS

In a randomized, controlled trial, PPIs increased the risk of short-term nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-induced small bowel injury. UMIN clinical trial registry number: UMIN000008883.

A clinical drug-drug interaction study to evaluate the effect of a proton-pump inhibitor, a combined P-glycoprotein/cytochrome 450 enzyme (CYP)3A4 inhibitor, and a CYP2C9 inhibitor on the pharmacokinetics of vismodegib

PURPOSE

The Hedgehog pathway inhibitor vismodegib exhibits pH-dependent solubility, and in vitro studies have shown that vismodegib is a substrate of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and is metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C9 and 3A4. The objective of this four-arm parallel study in healthy subjects was to evaluate the effect of the proton-pump inhibitor rabeprazole, the P-gp/CYP3A4 inhibitor itraconazole, and the CYP2C9 and 3A4 inhibitor fluconazole on vismodegib steady-state pharmacokinetics.

METHODS

Cohorts included a control arm (n = 22), in which vismodegib 150 mg was administered once daily (QD) for 7 days, and 3 arms in which vismodegib was co-administered QD for 7 days with rabeprazole 20 mg (including a 4-day lead-in; n = 24); itraconazole 200 mg (n = 22); or fluconazole 400 mg (n = 22).

RESULTS

Area under the vismodegib concentration-time curve from zero to 24 h (AUC0-24h) at steady state was lower with concomitant rabeprazole administration relative to vismodegib alone [geometric mean ratio (GMR), 86.2 (associated 90 % confidence interval [CI], 76.1, 97.7)]. There was no effect of itraconazole on steady-state exposure of vismodegib [GMR, 96.4 (90 % CI 84.9, 109.6)]. Co-administration with fluconazole increased vismodegib steady-state AUC0-24h [GMR, 130.9 (90 % CI 115.2, 148.7)]. Co-administration of rabeprazole, itraconazole, and fluconazole had similar effects on the exposure of unbound vismodegib and total vismodegib.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study suggest that vismodegib can be administered with acid-reducing agents and P-gp and CYP inhibitors without the risk of a clinically meaningful pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction. CLINICALTRIALS.

GOV IDENTIFIER

NCT01772290.

Effect of cytochrome P450 2C19 polymorphisms on the Helicobacter pylori eradication rate following two-week triple therapy with pantoprazole or rabeprazole

OBJECTIVE

Cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) polymorphisms play an important role in the metabolism of proton pump inhibitors. Rabeprazole is primarily metabolized via non-enzymatic pathways. In this study, we determined whether rabeprazole- and pantoprazole-based eradication treatments were influenced by CYP2C19 polymorphisms.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 200 patients infected with Helicobacter pylori were treated with either 40 mg of pantoprazole or 20 mg of rabeprazole plus 500 mg of clarithromycin, 1000 mg of amoxicillin twice daily for 2 weeks. CYP2C19 genotype status was determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)-restriction-fragment-length polymorphism. The genotypes of cytochrome P450 2C19 were classified as homozigote extensive metabolizer (HomEM), heterozigote metabolizer (HetEM) and poor metabolizer (PM). The CYP2C19 genotype of all patients, the effectiveness of the treatment, the effect of the genotypic polymorphism on the treatment were assessed.

RESULTS

The frequencies of HotEM, HetEM, PM were 78%, 19.5% and 2.5%, respectively. 48% (n = 96) of the patients received treatment with rabeprazole and 52% (n = 104) with pantoprazole. The eradication rate was 64.7% for HomEM, 79.4% for HetEM, 100% for PM (p = 0.06). In HetEM, PM, are considered as a single group, the eradication rates were higher in patients with the HetEM and PM (HetEM+PM) genotypes than in those with the wild-type genotype (81.8 vs. 64.7% p = 0.031). Among the patients treated with rabeprazole, the eradication rates were significantly lower in those with the HomEM genotype than in those with the HetEM+PM genotypes (60% vs. 85.7% p = 0.023).

CONCLUSIONS

The genotypic polymorphism is effective on the rate of eradication. Eradication treatment rate with rabeprazole is influenced by CYP2C19 genotype.

A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study of Dexlansoprazole MR-Based Triple Therapy for Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Dexlansoprazole MR is the R-enantiomer of lansoprazole that is delivered by a dual delayed release formulation. It is effective for symptom control of patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. However, its efficacy in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection remains unclear. This pilot, randomized, controlled, head-to-head study was conducted to investigate whether the efficacy of single-dose dexlansoprazole MR-based triple therapy was noninferior to double-dose rabeprazole-based triple therapy in the treatment of H pylori infection. Consecutive H pylori-infected subjects were randomly allocated to either 7-day dexlansoprazole MR-based standard triple therapy (dexlansoprazole MR 60 mg once daily, clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily, and amoxicillin 1 g twice daily) or rabeprazole-based triple therapy (rabeprazole 20 mg twice daily, clarithromycin 500 mg twice daily, and amoxicillin 1 g twice daily). H pylori status was assessed 6 weeks after the end of treatment. A total of 177 H pylori-infected patients were randomized to receive dexlansoprazole MR-based (n = 90) or rabeprazole-based (n = 87) triple therapy. Intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated no differences between eradication rates of the 2 study groups (83.3% vs 81.6%; P = 0.736). Per-protocol analysis yielded comparable results (85.1% vs 81.2%; P = 0.497). Both groups exhibited similar frequencies of adverse events (7.8% vs 4.6%; P = 0.536) and drug compliance (98.9% vs 97.7%; P = 0.496). Multivariate analysis disclosed that the presence of clarithromycin resistance was the only independent factors predictive of treatment failure with an odds ratio of 6.8 (95% confidence interval: 1.2-37.6). This work demonstrates that single-dose dexlansoprazole MR-based triple therapy yields a similar eradication rate as double-dose rabeprazole-based therapy. Since the pharmaceutical cost of the single-dose dexlansoprazole MR regime is lower than that of the double-dose rabeprazole regimen, dexlansoprazole-based therapy can reasonably be recommended in the first-line treatment of H pylori infection.

[[Clinical Relevance Helicobacter Pylori Genotypes in Patients with Chronic Pancreatitis and Concomitant Infections Helicobacter Pylori].]

RELEVANCE

Currently, there is a need to study the genetic diversity of H.pylori in patients with variety of acid-related dis- eases to develop new strategies for the treatment of patients with H.pylori to predict high efficiency of treatment.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effectiveness of schemes of eradication therapy in patients with chronic pancreatitis and concom- itant H.pylori infection.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study included 108 patients with H.pylori infection: 63 patients had chronic pancreatitis and were concomitant with H.pylori-infection and 45 patients were without chronic pancreatitis and had H.pylori infection with a chronic gastritis. All patients were determined by factors of pathogenicity of H.pylori by immunoblotting. After forming the group randomized patients received eradication therapy scheme I and the scheme I with inclusion of bismuth tripotassium dicitrate.

CONCLUSIONS

The effectiveness of H.pylori eradication therapy is dependent on the genetic component of H.pylori. In the presence of H.pylori pathogenicity factors p33, p30, p26, p19, p17 in order to increase the effectiveness of treatment the scheme of eradication therapy I line drugs bismuth tri dicitrate should be included.

Comparison of three different regimens against Helicobacter pylori as a first-line treatment: A randomized clinical trial

Treatments with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (QT), sequential therapy (ST), or concomitant therapy (CT) have been proposed as empirical first-line regimens for Helicobacter pylori. We compared the efficacy and tolerability of 10 days bismuth-containing quadruple QT, 10 days ST, and 10 days CT with as first-line treatments for H. pylori in a randomized crossover study. The subjects were randomly divided into three groups. The first 130 patients were treated with rabeprazole, bismuth potassium citrate, metronidazole, and tetracycline for 10 days. The second 130 patients in the sequential group were treated with rabeprazole and amoxicillin for 5 days, and then rabeprazole, clarithromycin, and metronidazole for an additional 5 days. The last 130 patients in the concomitant group were treated with rabeprazole, amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and metronidazole for 10 days. H. pylori eradication was confirmed by urea breath test at 6 weeks. The primary outcome was eradication rates of first-line treatment by intention to treat and per protocol (PP) analyzes. There was no difference between the average ages and the male/female ratio of the groups. The PP analysis was performed on 121, 119, and 118 patients in the QT, ST, and CT groups, respectively. In the PP analysis, the successful eradication 94.2% (114/121), 95.0% (113/119), and 95.8% (113/118) the QT, ST, and CT groups, respectively. There was no significant difference among the three groups (p = 0.86). 10 days QT, ST, and CT are highly effective as empirical first-line therapies for H. pylori in the region with high clarithromycin resistance.

Characteristics of symptomatic reflux episodes in Japanese proton pump inhibitor-refractory non-erosive reflux disease patients

AIM: To clarify the pathogenesis of gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms in non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) patients.

METHODS: Thirty-five NERD patients with persistent symptoms, despite taking rabeprazole 10 mg twice daily for at least 8 wk, were included in this study. All patients underwent 24 h combined impedance - pH on rabeprazole. The symptom index (SI) was considered to be positive if ≥ 50%, and proximal reflux episodes were determined when reflux reached 15 cm above the proximal margin of the lower esophageal sphincter.

RESULTS: In 14 (40%) SI-positive patients, with liquid weakly acid reflux, the occurrence rate of reflux symptoms was significantly more frequent in proximal reflux episodes (46.7%) than in distal ones (5.7%) (P < 0.001). With liquid acid reflux, there were no significant differences in the occurrence rate of reflux symptoms between proximal reflux episodes (38.5%) and distal ones (20.5%) (NS). With mixed liquid-gas weakly acid reflux, the occurrence rate of reflux symptoms in proximal reflux episodes was significantly more frequent (31.0%) than in distal reflux ones (3.3%) (P < 0.001). With mixed liquid-gas acid reflux, there were no significant differences in the occurrence rate of reflux symptoms between proximal reflux episodes (29.4%) and distal ones (14.3%) (NS).

CONCLUSION: The proximal extent of weakly acidic liquid and mixed liquid-gas reflux is a major factor associated with reflux perception in SI-positive patients on proton pump inhibitor therapy.

Moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy after non-bismuth quadruple therapy failure for Helicobacter pylori infection

AIM: To assess the efficacy of moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy after non-bismuth quadruple therapy failure for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication.

METHODS: Between January 2010 and December 2012, we screened individuals who were prescribed non-bismuth quadruple therapy for H. pylori eradication. Among them, a total of 98 patients who failed non-bismuth quadruple therapy received 1-wk or 2-wk moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy (400 mg moxifloxacin once daily, and 20 mg of rabeprazole and 1 g of amoxicillin twice daily). H. pylori status was evaluated using the ¹³C-urea breath test 4 wk later, after treatment completion. The eradication rates were determined by intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.

RESULTS: In total, 60 and 38 patients received 1-wk and 2-wk moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy, respectively. The intention-to-treat and per-protocol eradication rates were 56.7% (95%CI: 45.0-70.0) and 59.6% (95%CI: 46.6-71.7) in the 1-wk group and 76.3% (95%CI: 63.2-89.5) and 80.6% (95%CI: 66.7-91.9) in the 2-wk group (P = 0.048 and 0.036, respectively). All groups had good compliance (95% vs 94.9%). Neither group showed serious adverse events, and the proportions of patients experiencing mild side effects were not significantly different (21.1% vs 13.9%). Clinical factors such as age, sex, alcohol and smoking habits, comorbidities, and presence of gastric or duodenal ulcer did not influence the eradication therapy efficacy. The efficacy of second-line eradication therapy did not differ significantly according to the first-line regimen.

CONCLUSION: Two-week moxifloxacin-containing triple therapy showed better efficacy than a 1-wk regimen after non-bismuth quadruple therapy failure.

The effect of dose and type of proton pump inhibitor use on risk of fractures and osteoporosis treatment in older Australian women: A prospective cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most prescribed medications worldwide, however, there is growing concern regarding potential negative effects on bone health. The aim was to examine the effect of dose and type of PPI use on subsequent use of osteoporosis medication and fractures in older Australian women.

METHODS

Data were included from 4432 participants (born 1921-26) in the 2002 survey of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Medication data were from the national pharmaceutical administrative database (2003-2012, inclusive). Fractures were sourced from linked hospital datasets available for four major States of Australia. Competing risk regression models used PPI exposure as a time-dependent covariate and either time to first osteoporosis medication prescription or fracture as the outcome, with death as a competing risk.

RESULTS

Of the 2328 PPI users and 2104 PPI non-users, 827 (36%) and 550 (26%) became users of osteoporosis medication, respectively. PPI use was associated with an increased risk of subsequent use of osteoporosis medication (adjusted sub-hazard ratio [SHR]=1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.13-1.44) and subsequent fracture (SHR=1.29, CI=1.08-1.55). Analysis with PPI categorized according to defined daily dose (DDD), showed some evidence for a dose-response effect (osteoporosis medication: <400 DDD: SHR=1.23, CI=1.06-1.42 and ≥400 DDD: SHR=1.39, CI=1.17-1.65, compared with non-users; SHRs were in the same range for fractures). Esomeprazole was the most common PPI prescribed (22.9%). Analysis by type of PPI use showed an increased subsequent risk for: (1) use of osteoporosis medication for rabeprazole (SHR=1.51, CI=1.08-2.10) and esomeprazole (SHR=1.48, CI=1.17-1.88); and (2) fractures for rabeprazole (SHR=2.06, CI=1.37-3.10). Users of multiple types of PPI also had increased risks for use of osteoporosis medication and fractures.

CONCLUSION

An appropriate benefit/risk assessment should be made when prescribing PPIs, especially for esomeprazole and rabeprazole, as osteoporosis and fracture risks were increased in this cohort of elderly females subsequent to PPI prescription.

Effect of food or proton pump inhibitor treatment on the bioavailability of dacomitinib in healthy volunteers

This phase 1, open-label crossover study evaluated the relative bioavailability of dacomitinib in healthy volunteers under fed and fasted conditions and following coadministration with rabeprazole, a potent acid-reducing proton pump inhibitor (PPI). Twenty-four male subjects received a single dacomitinib 45-mg dose under 3 different conditions separated by washout periods of ≥ 16 days: coadministered with rabeprazole 40 mg under fasting conditions; alone under fasting conditions; and alone after a high-fat, high-calorie meal. Increased peak exposure of 23.7% (90% confidence interval [CI], 5.3%-45.2%) was detected with dacomitinib taken after food versus fasting. The adjusted geometric mean ratio (fed/fasted) for area under the plasma concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity (AUCinf ) was 114.2% (90%CI, 104.7%-124.5%) and not considered clinically meaningful. In the fasted state, a decrease in dacomitinib AUCinf was observed following rabeprazole versus dacomitinib alone (PPI+fasted/fasted alone): 71.1% (90%CI, 61.7%-81.8%). Dacomitinib was generally well tolerated. Dacomitinib may be taken with or without food. Use of long-acting acid-reducing agents, such as PPIs with dacomitinib should be avoided if possible. Shorter-acting agents such as antacids and H2-receptor antagonists may have lesser impact on dacomitinib exposure and may be preferable to PPIs if acid reduction is clinically required.

Hybrid vs sequential therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori in Taiwan: A prospective randomized trial

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of sequential vs hybrid therapy in patients with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

METHODS: From March 2013 to May 2014, one hundred and seventy-five H. pylori infected patients who had not been treated for H. pylori before were randomized to receive either sequential therapy (rabeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 1 g twice daily for 5 d, followed by rabeprazole 20 mg, clarithromycin 500 mg and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 5 d) or hybrid therapy (rabeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 1 g for 7 d, followed by rabeprazole 20 mg, amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg and metronidazole 500 mg twice daily for 7 d). H. pylori status was confirmed by positive results of both rapid urease test and histology examination or a positive result of culture. Eradication efficacy was assessed by follow-up endoscopy with rapid urease test and histological examination 8 wk after the end of anti-H. pylori therapy, or ¹³C-urea breath test at least 4 wk after completion of treatment. The primary outcome was H. pylori eradication by intension-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses.

RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-seven patients (83 patients in the sequential group and 84 patients in the hybrid group) completed the study. The compliance rates were 97.6% and 97.7% for the two groups, respectively. The eradication rate was 78.2% for the sequential group and 92% for the hybrid group by ITT analysis (P = 0.01). The eradication rate was 81.9% for the sequential group and 96.4% for the hybrid group by PP analysis (P = 0.01). Univariate analysis for the clinical and bacterial factors did not identify any risk factors associated with treatment failure. Severe adverse events were observed in 2.3% of patients in the sequential group and 2.4% of those in the hybrid group.

CONCLUSION: Due to a grade A (> 95%) success rate for H. pylori eradication by PP analysis, similar compliance and adverse events, hybrid therapy seems to be an appropriate eradication regimen in Taiwan.

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.

Fourteen- vs seven-day bismuth-based quadruple therapy for second-line Helicobacter pylori eradication

AIM: To compare the efficacy of 14- and 7-d bismuth-based quadruple therapies as second-line eradication treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

METHODS: Between 2004 and 2014, the medical records of 790 patients who had experienced failure of first-line proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-based eradication therapy and were then treated with bismuth-based quadruple therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Those who received bismuth-based quadruple therapy [PPI, bismuth, metronidazole, and tetracycline (PBMT)] for either 7 d or 14 d were assigned to a PBMT-7 group (n = 543) or a PBMT-14 group (n = 247), respectively. The eradication rates for both groups were determined by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses. ITT analysis compared the treatment groups as originally allocated while the PP analysis including only those patients who had completed the treatment as originally allocated. Successful eradication therapy for H. pylori infection was defined as a negative ¹³C-urea breath test 4 wk after the end of eradication treatment.

RESULTS: The overall ITT eradication rate was 69.1% (546/790). Final ITT eradication rates were 67.4% (366/543; 95%CI: 63.1%-71.7%) in the PBMT-7 group and 72.8% (180/247; 95%CI: 67.4%-78.2%) in the PBMT-14 group (P = 0.028). The overall PP eradication rate was 80.0% (546/682), and the final PP eradication rates were 78.2% (366/468; 95%CI: 72.1%-84.0%) in the PBMT-7 group and 84.1% (180/214; 95%CI: 76.8%-90.8%) in the PBMT-14 group (P = 0.009). The H. pylori eradication rates in the PBMT-14 group were significantly higher than in the PBMT-7 group according to both ITT (P = 0.028) and PP analysis (P = 0.009). Compliance was similar in both groups (PBMT-7 group: 97.9%; PBMT-14 group: 96.4%). Adverse event rates were 10.7% (51/478) and 17.1% (38/222) in the PBMT-7 and PBMT-14 groups, respectively (P = 0.487).

CONCLUSION: The 14-d bismuth-based quadruple therapy is a significantly more effective second-line eradication treatment for H. pylori infection than the 7-d alternative.

Efficacy of 14-d vs 7-d moxifloxacin-based triple regimens for second-line Helicobacter pylori eradication

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of the 14-d moxifloxacin-based triple therapy for the second-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

METHODS: Between 2011 and 2013, we conducted a retrospective review of the medical records of 160 patients who had experienced failure of their first-line proton pump inhibitor-based eradication therapy and subsequently received the moxifloxacin-based triple therapy as a second-line eradication treatment regimen. The patients who were treated with the moxifloxacin-based triple therapy (oral 20 mg rabeprazole b.i.d., 1000 mg amoxicillin b.i.d., and 400 mg moxifloxacin q.d.) for 7 d were assigned to the RAM-7 group (n = 79) while those who took them for 14 days were assigned to RAM-14 group (n = 81). The eradication rates for both groups were determined by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses. ITT analysis compared the treatment groups as originally allocated while the PP analysis including only those patients who had completed the treatment as originally allocated. Successful eradication therapy for H. pylori infection was defined as the documentation of a negative ¹³C-urea breath test 4 wk after the end of the eradication treatment.

RESULTS: The overall ITT eradication rate was 76.2% (122/160). The final ITT eradication rates were 70.8% (56/79; 95%CI: 63.3%-77.1%) in the RAM-7 group and 81.4% (66/81; 95%CI: 74.6%-88.3%) in the RAM-14 group (P = 0.034). The overall PP eradication rate was 84.1% (122/145), and the final PP eradication rates were 77.7% (56/72; 95%CI: 70.2%-85.3%) in the RAM-7 group and 90.4% (66/73; 95%CI: 82.8%-98.1%) in the RAM-14 group (P = 0.017). The H. pylori-eradication rates in the RAM-14 group were significantly higher compared with that of the RAM-7 group according to both the ITT (P = 0.034) and the PP analyses (P = 0.017). Both groups exhibited good treatment compliance (RAM-7/RAM-14 group: 100%/100%). The adverse event rates were 19.4% (14/72) and 20.5% (15/73) in the RAM-7 and RAM-14 groups, respectively (P = 0.441). Adverse events occurred in 14 of the 72 patients (19.4) in the RAM-7 group and in 15 of the 73 patients (20.5) in the RAM-14 group. No statistically significant differences (P = 0.441) were observed.

CONCLUSION: The 14-d moxifloxacin-based triple therapy is a significantly more effective second-line eradication treatment as compared to the 7-d alternative for H. pylori infection in South Korea.

Efficacy of moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy for first-line eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in gastrointestinal disease

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of 14-d moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy as first-line eradication treatment of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection.

METHODS: From December 2013 to August 2014, 161 patients with confirmed H. pylori infection randomly received 14 d of moxifloxacin-based sequential group (MOX-ST group, n = 80) or clarithromycin-based sequential group (CLA-ST group, n = 81) therapy. H. pylori infection was defined on the basis of at least one of the following three tests: a positive ¹³C-urea breath test; histologic evidence of H. pylori by modified Giemsa staining; or a positive rapid urease test (CLOtest; Delta West, Bentley, Australia) by gastric mucosal biopsy. Successful eradication therapy for H. pylori infection was defined as a negative ¹³C-urea breath test four weeks after the end of eradication treatment. Compliance was defined as good when drug intake was at least 85%. H. pylori eradication rates, patient compliance with drug treatment, adverse event rates, and factors influencing the efficacy of eradication therapy were evaluated.

RESULTS: The eradication rates by intention-to-treat analysis were 91.3% (73/80; 95%CI: 86.2%-95.4%) in the MOX-ST group and 71.6% (58/81; 95%CI: 65.8%-77.4%) in the CLA-ST group (P = 0.014). The eradication rates by per-protocol analysis were 93.6% (73/78; 95%CI: 89.1%-98.1%) in the MOX-ST group and 75.3% (58/77; 95%CI: 69.4%-81.8%) in the CLA-ST group (P = 0.022). Compliance was 100% in both groups. The adverse event rates were 12.8% (10/78) and 24.6% (19/77) in the MOX-ST and CLA-ST group, respectively (P = 0.038). Most of the adverse events were mild-to-moderate in intensity; there was none serious enough to cause discontinuation of treatment in either group. In multivariate analysis, advanced age (≥ 60 years) was a significant independent factor related to the eradication failure in the CLA-ST group (adjusted OR = 2.13, 95%CI: 1.97-2.29, P = 0.004), whereas there was no significance in the MOX-ST group.

CONCLUSION: The 14-d moxifloxacin-based sequential therapy is effective. Moreover, it shows excellent patient compliance and safety compared to the 14-d clarithromycin-based sequential therapy.

Characteristics of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms -is switching proton pump inhibitors based on the patient's CYP2C19 genotype an effective management strategy?

OBJECTIVE

We investigated factors related to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) -refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms, particularly with respect to acid, the CYP2C19 genotype and psychological aspects.

METHODS

Patients with an Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD (FSSG) score of ≥8 after the initial treatment were switched to therapy with rabeprazole at a dose of 20 mg once daily for eight weeks. We investigated the rate of improvement in PPI-refractory GERD symptoms, background factors, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) score and the CYP2C19 genotype. Patients Sixty patients endoscopically diagnosed with reflux esophagitis within the past six months who had received omeprazole at a dose of 20 mg once daily for eight weeks or longer were enrolled.

RESULTS

In 71.6% of the patients, the FSSG score decreased to <8 after treatment with omeprazole at a dose of 20 mg once daily for ≥8 weeks, resulting in improvements in their GERD symptoms. Significant factors related to omeprazole-refractory GERD symptoms included a longer disease duration (p=0.0004) and higher HADS score (p=0.01). Among the omeprazole-refractory cases, only 23.5% of the patients showed symptom improvement after switching to rabeprazole. There were no significant differences in the average scores for FSSG (p=0.089) or HADS (p=0.182), before or after the drug change. A total of 92% of the rabeprazole poor responders were homo/hetero extensive metabolizers for the CYP2C19 genotype.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that switching the PPI from omeprazole (20 mg once daily) to rabeprazole (20 mg once daily) is not a significant effective therapeutic strategy for improving PPI-refractory GERD symptoms, taking into consideration possible psychometric factors and patients who require stronger acid suppression than that achieved with a double dose of PPIs for PPI-refractory GERD symptoms.

The effect of short-term proton pump inhibitor plus anti-ulcer drug on the healing of endoscopic submucosal dissection-derived artificial ulcer: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Artificial ulcers remain a major complication after Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). The development of more effective treatment regimen for this ulcer is required than the use of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) alone.

METHODOLOGY

Patients with ESD-derived artificial ulcers were randomly assigned to two groups: a group of patients who received rabeprazole 20 mg daily for 8 weeks (PPI group) and a group of patients who received a combination of rebamipide 300 mg daily for 8 weeks and rabeprazole 20 mg dairy for the first 4 weeks (reb+PPI group). The area reduction ratio and healing status of ulcers were evaluated endoscopically on postoperative 7, 28 and 56 days.

RESULTS

The overall ulcer area reduction ratio was higher in the reb+PPI group than in the PPI group, especially at an early stage. The ratio of progression to the H1 stage in the reb+PPI group was significantly higher than that in the PPI group, especially at an early stage.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment with 8 weeks of rebamipide plus the first 4 weeks of PPI demonstrated a reduction ratio of artificial ulcers superior to that with 8 weeks of PPI mono-therapy. This combination treatment is, therefore, one of the candidate treatment strategies against ESD-derived artificial ulcers.

Efficacy of hybrid therapy as first-line regimen for Helicobacter pylori infection compared with sequential therapy

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Recent prospective studies have shown that the sequential therapy has not achieved the target Helicobacter pylori eradication rate of > 80% in Korea. The aim of this study was to therefore assess the efficacy of the hybrid therapy as a first-line treatment for H. pylori eradication in a prospective trial.

METHODS

From December 2012 to August 2013, 184 patients with confirmed H. pylori infections received either the 14-day hybrid therapy or the 14-day sequential therapy. Eradication outcomes were evaluated using a 13C-urea breath test at least 4 weeks after treatment cessation.

RESULTS

A total of 184 patients (90 receiving hybrid treatment and 94 receiving sequential treatment) completed the study. The eradication rates of the hybrid and sequential therapy groups were 81.1% (73/90; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 73.0-89.2%) and 79.8% (75/94; 95%CI = 71.7-87.9%), respectively, by intention-to-treat analysis (P = 0.821). By per protocol analysis, eradication rates were 85.9% (73/85; 95%CI = 78.5-93.3%) and 82.0% (73/89; 95%CI = 74.0-89.9%; P = 0.489), respectively. There were no significant intergroup differences in treatment compliance or discontinuation induced by severe side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

The hybrid therapy achieved acceptable eradication rate (85.9%), but not statistically significantly higher rates than the sequential therapy (82.0%). Further studies are therefore needed to identify first-line treatments with even better eradication rates in the Korean population.

Rabeprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy: Report of an efficacy study

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of a standard triple therapy (comprising rabeprazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin) for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication, noting factors that influence the outcome and documenting any adverse events.

METHODS: Following institutional ethical approval, fifty consecutive and consenting symptomatic patients with evidence of H. pylori infection by either a positive urea breath test (UBT) and/or a campylobacter-like organism test who presented to the Gastroenterology clinic of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital between 2012 and 2013 were recruited into the study. Patients were openly randomized to either a 7-d or a 10-d regimen of amoxicillin 1 g, clarithromycin 500 mg and rabeprazole 20 mg twice daily. The extent of symptom resolution was noted following the treatment, and at the end of one month after the completion of treatment, a repeat UBT was performed in each patient to document the eradication of the infection. All data (demographics, symptoms, and eradication rates) were collated and analyzed with SPSS version 18.

RESULTS: Forty-seven patients completed the study (three were excluded from the analysis for breaching the study protocol). The patients included 18 males and 29 females within the age range of 13-80 years (mean 43.7, SD 16.8). The clinical features of the study subjects were dyspepsia, reflux symptoms and features of gastrointestinal bleeding. The average eradication rate was 87.2%. Eighteen subjects were enrolled in the 7-d arm, while 29 were in the 10-d arm. There was no statistically significant difference in the age or sex distributions of the two arms. There was no significant advantage of the 10-d treatment duration over the 7-d duration (P = 0.78), and the eradication outcomes were not influenced by the gender or age of the subjects. No adverse effects were reported in either arm.

CONCLUSION: The triple therapy regime, employing a combination of amoxicillin, clarithromycin and rabeprazole, showed great efficacy and safety in the eradication of H. pylori, and this outcome was not influenced by gender or age. No difference was observed between the 7-d and 10-d regimens.

Comparison of Helicobacter pylori eradication rates of standard 14-day quadruple treatment and novel modified 10-day, 12-day and 14-day sequential treatments

BACKGROUND & AIM

This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of bismuth-included standard regimen and modified sequential treatments in Turkey, where the success rate of standard triple therapy is very low.

METHODS

One-hundred and sixty patients with dyspeptic complaints and naïve Helicobacter pylori infection were randomized into four groups: 41 patients received standard 14-day quadruple treatment (STD) (Rabeprazole 20mg-bid, bismuth subcitrate (120 mg-qid), Tetracycline 500 mg-qid, Metronidazole 500 mg-tid) for 2 weeks. The modified sequential therapy groups received 20 mg rabeprazole and 1g amoxicillin, twice daily for the first 5 days, followed by Rabeprazole 20mg-bid, bismuth subcitrate (120 mg-qid), Tetracycline 500 mg-qid, Metronidazole 500 mg-tid for the remaining 5 (10 day sequential therapy group-10S) (42 patients), 7 (12 day sequential therapy group-12S) (42 patients) and 9 (14 day sequential therapy group-14S) (41 patients) days.

RESULTS

The overall compliance and H. pylori eradication rate among the 160 patients who completed the H. pylori eradication regimens were 86.9% (139/160) and 78.1% (125/160), respectively. The results were not statistically different between groups in the eradication rates. Per-protocol eradication rates were 76.5% in STD, 71.4% in 10S, 82.4% in 12S and 83.3% in 14S groups (p=0.7). Intention-to-treatment rates were 77.5% in STD, 72.5% in 10S, 82.5% in 12S and 80.0% in 14S groups (p=0.5).

CONCLUSION

The eradication rates of standard 14-day and different sequential quadruple treatment regimens are comparable and much more higher than with standard 14-day triple H. pylori eradication treatment that has been reported previously in Turkey.

Effect of proton pomp inhibitor (PPI : Rabeprazole) on reflux esophagitis after endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS), a randomized control study (24 hour-pH monitoring)

BACKGROUND

Transient esophageal ulceration is a common finding after sclerotherapy of varices. These ulcers sometimes cause pain, ulcer bleeding, and stricture formation. Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) after Endoscopic injection sclerotherapy (EIS) is a known cause of worsening ulcer formation. Therefore, an efficient drug for GER is desirable to improve the quality of life of patients with esophageal varices.

METHODS

We randomized 18 Japanese cirrhotic patients who had risky esophageal varices. The patients were randomly allocated into two groups, and during EIS sessions, one group was administered proton pump inhibitor(PPI) (Rabeprazole 20 mg a person once a day), while the other received histamine H2 receptor antagonist (H2-blocker) (famotidine 20 mg a person, twice a day). Gastroesophageal reflux was monitored by a 24-h pH-monitoring catheter introduced into the distal esophagus. Ulcer formation was evaluated using an endoscopic examination. The subjective and objective symptoms were also compared between the two groups.

RESULTS

All patients in the H2-blocker group showed an increased percentage of time with pH < 4.0 after EIS sessions, but no patients in the PPI group showed an increased such symptoms. The H2-blocker group also experienced a significantly higher number of days of heartburn and dysphasia than did the PPI group (p = 0.017, p = 0.042). The rate of ulcer improvement was found to be faster in Rabeprazole group than in H2 blocker group (p = 0.008).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that Rabeprazole treatment prevents EIS-associated gastroesophageal reflux and promotes ulcer healing. Rabeprazole also improve the subjective symptoms following EIS.

Low-dose amitriptyline combined with proton pump inhibitor for functional chest pain

AIM: To investigate the efficacy of amitriptyline with proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for the treatment of functional chest pain (FCP).

METHODS: This was a randomized, open-label trial investigating the addition of low dose amitriptyline (10 mg at bedtime) to a conventional dose of rabeprazole (20 mg/d) (group A, n = 20) vs a double-dose of rabeprazole (20 mg twice daily) (group B, n = 20) for patients with FCP whose symptoms were refractory to PPI. The primary efficacy endpoints were assessed by global symptom score assessment and the total number of individuals with > 50% improvement in their symptom score.

RESULTS: The between-group difference in global symptom scores was statistically significant during the last week of treatment (overall mean difference; 3.75 ± 0.31 vs 4.35 ± 0.29, the between-group difference; P < 0.001). Furthermore, 70.6% of patients in group A had their symptoms improve by > 50%, whereas only 26.3% of patients in group B had a similar treatment response (70.6% vs 26.3%, P = 0.008). Specifically, patients in group A had a significantly greater improvement in the domains of body pain and general health perception than did patients in group B (52.37 ± 17.00 vs 41.32 ± 12.34, P = 0.031 and 47.95 ± 18.58 vs 31.84 ± 16.84, P = 0.01, respectively).

CONCLUSION: Adding amitriptyline to a PPI was more effective than a double-dose of PPI in patients with FCP refractory to a conventional dose of PPI.