Comparison of rabeprazole 20 mg versus omeprazole 20 mg in the treatment of active duodenal ulcer: a European multicentre study. (1/641)

BACKGROUND: Rabeprazole sodium is the newest member of a class of substituted benzimidazole molecules known as proton pump inhibitors. Other proton pump inhibitors have been shown to be effective in healing active duodenal ulcer. METHOD: This randomized, double-blind, multicentre study, conducted at 25 European sites, compared the efficacy and tolerability of rabeprazole and omeprazole in patients with active duodenal ulcers. One hundred and two patients with active duodenal ulcer received rabeprazole 20 mg and 103 patients omeprazole 20 mg once daily for 2 or 4 weeks, with ulcer healing monitored by endoscopy. RESULTS: After 2 weeks, complete ulcer healing was documented in 69% of patients given rabeprazole 20 mg and in 62% of patients given omeprazole 20 mg (N.S.). After 4 weeks, healing rates were 98% in the rabeprazole group and 93% in the omeprazole group (P = 0.083). Rabeprazole-treated patients had significantly greater improvement in daytime pain symptom relief than those treated with omeprazole at the conclusion of the study (P = 0.038). Both drugs were well tolerated over the 4-week treatment period. Mean changes from baseline to end-point in fasting serum gastrin were significantly greater in the rabeprazole group, but at end-point mean values were well within normal limits for both groups. No clinically meaningful changes or other between-group differences were observed in laboratory parameters. CONCLUSION: In this study, rabeprazole produced healing rates equivalent to omeprazole at weeks 2 and 4, and provided significantly greater improvement in daytime pain. Both treatments were well tolerated.  (+info)

Furazolidone-containing short-term triple therapies are effective in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. (2/641)

BACKGROUND: A furazolidone-containing therapeutic regimen for Helicobacter pylori infection has attracted special interest in the face of a rising world-wide metronidazole resistant H. pylori, and the expense of currently used antimicrobial regimens. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of furazolidone-containing regimens in eradicating H. pylori. METHODS: One-hundred and forty H. pylori positive patients with endoscopically confirmed duodenal ulcer or functional dyspepsia received one of four different regimens to eradicate H. pylori. In the first trial, the patients were randomly assigned to receive a 1-week course of furazolidone 100 mg b.d. and clarithromycin 250 mg b.d., with either tripotassium dicitrato bismuthate (TDB) 240 mg b.d. (FCB group) or lansoprazole 30 mg daily (FCL group). In the second trial, the patients were randomly assigned to receive a 1-week course of clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. and omeprazole 20 mg daily, with either furazolidone 100 mg b.d. (FCO group) or metronidazole 400 mg b.d. (MCO group). Endoscopy was repeated 4 weeks following completion of therapy with re-assessment of H. pylori status on gastric biopsies by histology and culture. RESULTS: Four patients (1 in FCB, 1 in FCO and 2 in MCO groups) dropped out because they refused a follow-up endoscopy. Eradication rates of H. pylori on an intention-to-treat basis in the FCB, FCL, FCO and MCO groups were 91% (32/35, 95% CI: 82-99%), 91% (32/35, CI: 82-99%), 86% (30/35, CI: 74-97%) and 74% (26/35, CI: 60-89%) (all P > 0.05), respectively. Mild side-effects occurred in 15% of the 140 patients. In MCO group, the eradication rate in the patients infected with metronidazole-sensitive isolates of H. pylori was 86%, but dropped to 67% in those with metronidazole-resistance strains (P = 0.198). CONCLUSION: One-week regimens containing furazolidone and clarithromycin in combination with TDB or a proton pump inhibitor fulfil the criteria for successful H. pylori therapy.  (+info)

Low-dose lansoprazole provides greater relief of heartburn and epigastric pain than low-dose omeprazole in patients with acid-related dyspepsia. (3/641)

AIM: To compare the relative efficacies of lansoprazole 15 mg o.m. and omeprazole 10 mg o.m. in relieving heartburn and epigastric pain in patients with acid-related dyspepsia. In addition, the study compared the safety profiles of the two treatments. METHODS: This double-blind, parallel group, randomised, multicentre study was conducted in 52 general practices in the UK. A total of 609 patients was recruited, 562 of whom were eligible for inclusion in the intention-to-treat analysis. All of the patients had experienced at least mild heartburn or mild epigastric pain persistently on at least 4 of the previous 7 days; patients with severe symptoms were excluded. 283 patients received lansoprazole 15 mg and 279 received omeprazole 10 mg, both for 4 weeks. The main efficacy measure was relief of symptoms, based on physician assessments. RESULTS: In the intention-to-treat population, a complete relief of overall primary symptoms of dyspepsia was achieved after 2 weeks in 53% of patients receiving lansoprazole and in 41% of patients receiving omeprazole (P = 0.007). After 4 weeks, 59% of the lansoprazole group and 51% of the omeprazole group had achieved complete symptom relief (P = 0. 078). Antacids were taken for additional relief of symptoms in fewer patients given lansoprazole compared to the omeprazole group in the third and fourth weeks (P = 0.035) and also significantly fewer antacids were taken by patients in the lansoprazole group compared with patients in the omeprazole group (P = 0.033). The proportion of patients reporting adverse events was similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Low-dose lansoprazole is more effective than low-dose omeprazole in the treatment of patients with mild heartburn or epigastric pain in general practice.  (+info)

Polaprezinc, a mucosal protective agent, in combination with lansoprazole, amoxycillin and clarithromycin increases the cure rate of Helicobacter pylori infection. (4/641)

AIM: To evaluate the efficacy of polaprezinc, a mucosal protective agent, in combination with a 7-day triple therapy containing lansoprazole, amoxycillin and clarithromycin, as a treatment for Helicobacter pylori. METHODS: Sixty-six consecutive patients suffering from dyspeptic symptoms with H. pylori infection were randomly allocated to one of two regimens: one group (LAC; n = 31) received lansoprazole 30 mg b.d., amoxycillin 500 mg b.d. and clarithromycin 400 mg b.d. for 7 days. The other group (LACP; n = 35) received the LAC regimen plus polaprezinc 150 mg b.d. for 7 days. H. pylori status was evaluated by rapid urease test, histology and culture at entry and 4 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Five patients did not complete the treatment: no follow-up endoscopy was performed on two patients in the LAC group; one patient in the LAC group and two in the LACP group had their treatment stopped due to severe diarrhoea. By per protocol analysis, H. pylori eradication was achieved in 24 of the 28 evaluable patients (86%; 95% CI: 72-100%) after LAC therapy, and in 33 of the 33 evaluable patients (100%) after LACP therapy (P < 0.05). On intention-to-treat analysis, the rates of eradication were 24 of 31 patients (77%; 95% CI: 62-93%) in the LAC group, and 33 of 35 patients (94%; 95% CI: 86-100%) in the LACP group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A 7-day triple therapy with lansoprazole, amoxycillin and clarithromycin is effective in H. pylori eradication, but this regimen is significantly improved by the addition of polaprezinc.  (+info)

The optimal antibiotic combination in a 5-day Helicobacter pylori eradication regimen. (5/641)

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines for Helicobacter pylori eradication recommend 7 days of a proton-pump inhibitor, clarithromycin (C), and either metronidazole (M) or amoxycillin (A). A shorter course would be cheaper and could be as effective. AIM: This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of three 5-day regimens based on lansoprazole (L). METHODS: 168 dyspepsia patients with H. pylori infection were randomized to receive a 5-day course of either LCM, LAC or CALM, and a 13C-urea breath test was performed after 4 weeks to assess eradication. RESULTS: 160 patients completed the study. Intention-to-treat eradication rates were as follows: LCM 81%, LAC 59%, CALM 88%. LCM and CALM gave significantly better eradication rates than LAC. There was no significant difference in adverse events across the three groups. Logistical regression analysis showed that the specific regimen used and the age of the patient were the only factors influencing eradication outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Five days of CALM yields acceptable eradication rates, and is cheaper than conventional 7-day proton pump inhibitor-triple therapy. It appears to offer good results in metronidazole-resistant strains of H. pylori. A randomized trial comparing 5-day CALM with conventional 7-day therapy is needed before this regimen can be recommended for routine use.  (+info)

The effect of antibiotic resistance on the outcome of three 1-week triple therapies against Helicobacter pylori. (6/641)

BACKGROUND: Resistance of Helicobacter pylori to antibiotics may be a major reason for treatment failure. AIM: To evaluate the effect of primary H. pylori resistance to antibiotics on the cure rates of three anti-H. pylori 1-week triple therapies. METHODS: One hundred and sixteen consecutive patients diagnosed H. pylori-positive by gastric histology, rapid urease test and culture were enrolled. Activity of tested antibiotics was determined by means of the E-test. Patients were treated for 7 days with: (i) pantoprazole 40 mg o.d. plus amoxycillin 1 g b.d. and metronidazole 250 mg q.d.s. (PAM); (ii) pantoprazole 40 mg o.d. plus clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. and metronidazole 250 mg q.d.s. (PCM); or (iii) pantoprazole 40 mg o.d. plus amoxycillin 1 g b.d. and clarithromycin 250 mg b.d. (PAC). Two months after completion of therapy, endoscopy and gastric biopsies were repeated. RESULTS: Primary resistance rates to metronidazole, clarithromycin and amoxycillin were 17.2, 6.9 and 0%, respectively. Overall H. pylori cure rates expressed as intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses were, respectively, 79% and 86% with PAM, 82% and 89% with PCM, and 85% and 85% with PAC. Significantly lower cure rates were observed in metronidazole-resistant patients treated with PAM (56% vs. 96%, P = 0.01) or PCM (50% vs. 97%, P = 0.01). A trend towards lower H. pylori cure rates was observed in clarithromycin-resistant patients treated with PCM (67% vs. 91%, P = 0.74) or PAC (50% vs. 87%, P = 0.68). CONCLUSION: Primary resistance to metronidazole influences the H. pylori cure rate of anti-H. pylori proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapies which include this antibiotic. A similar trend exists for primary clarithromycin resistance.  (+info)

Treatment of H. pylori infection: the reality. (7/641)

Despite the wide dissemination of information on Helicobacter pylori, there is still a great deal of variation in how general practitioners treat the infection and in which circumstances they prescribe eradication therapy for H. pylori. Specialty societies have developed consensus guidelines that recommend a strategy to test and treat dyspeptic patients for H. pylori infection although the data to support these recommendations are weak at the present time. As a result, there is still confusion about the indications for treatment and the treatment regimens that are likely to be effective in routine clinical practice.  (+info)

The effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on intragastric pH during dosing with lansoprazole or ranitidine. (8/641)

BACKGROUND: The antisecretory effect of omeprazole on intragastric pH is decreased in the absence of Helicobacter pylori. AIM: To investigate the effect of H. pylori eradication on intragastric pH during lansoprazole or ranitidine dosing in 41 asymptomatic H. pylori-positive subjects. METHOD: Two groups of healthy H. pylori-positive volunteers were investigated. One group was dosed with lansoprazole 30 mg at 08.00 hours for at least 8 days, before and after 2 weeks of placebo-controlled double-blind eradication therapy using ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.d. and clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. The other group was dosed with ranitidine 300 mg at 23.00 hours for at least 8 days using the same trial design. An upper endoscopy was performed to establish H. pylori status by rapid urease test, culture and histology before both periods of dosing. Twenty-four hour intragastric pH recording was performed on the final day of all periods of dosing. RESULTS: H. pylori eradication significantly decreased the intragastric pH reached during lansoprazole treatment throughout all periods of the day. Intragastric pH during ranitidine treatment was not affected by H. pylori eradication, except for the late-night period. CONCLUSION: H. pylori eradication has a more pronounced effect on the acid-inhibiting properties of lansoprazole than on those of ranitidine.  (+info)