First-line eradication rates comparing two shortened non-bismuth quadruple regimens against Helicobacter pylori: an open-label, randomized, multicentre clinical trial

Equivalence Trial of the Non-Bismuth 10-Day Concomitant and 14-Day Hybrid Therapies for Helicobacter pylori Eradication in High Clarithromycin Resistance Areas

Background and aim: We conducted an equivalence trial of quadruple non-bismuth "concomitant" and "hybrid" regimens for H. pylori eradication in a high clarithromycin resistance area. Methods: There were 321 treatment-naïve H. pylori-positive individuals in this multicenter clinical trial randomized to either the hybrid (esomeprazole 40 mg/bid, amoxicillin 1 g/bid for 7 days, then 7 days esomeprazole 40 mg/bid, amoxicillin 1 g/bid, clarithromycin 500 mg/bid, and metronidazole 500 mg/bid) or the concomitant regimen (all medications given concurrently bid for 10 days). Eradication was tested using histology and/or a 13C-urea breath test. Results: The concomitant regimen had 161 patients (90F/71M, mean 54.5 years, 26.7% smokers, 30.4% ulcer) and the hybrid regimen had 160 (80F/80M, mean 52.8 years, 35.6% smokers, 31.2% ulcer). The regimens were equivalent, by intention to treat 85% and 81.8%, (p = 0.5), and per protocol analysis 91.8% and 87.8%, (p = 0.3), respectively. The eradication rate by resistance, between concomitant and hybrid regimens, was in susceptible strains (97% and 97%, p = 0.6), clarithromycin single-resistant strains (86% and 90%, p = 0.9), metronidazole single-resistant strains (96% and 81%, p = 0.1), and dual-resistant strains (70% and 53%, p = 0.5). The side effects were comparable, except for diarrhea being more frequent in the concomitant regimen. Conclusions: A 14-day hybrid regimen is equivalent to a 10-day concomitant regimen currently used in high clarithromycin and metronidazole resistance areas. Both regimens are well tolerated and safe.

Is hybrid therapy more efficient in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection? A systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Hybrid therapy (HT) is a non-bismuth quadruple therapy created to surpass Helicobacter pylori's (H. pylori) resistance rates to antibiotics. HT has excellent eradication rates, as well as a very good compliance and safety profile. We aim to compare HT with sequential therapy (ST) and concomitant therapy (CT) for the eradication of H. pylori.

METHODS

This systematic review was conducted following the principles of the PRISMA guidelines. Literature was electronically searched on the CENTRAL library, PubMed, Embase, Scopus, LILACS, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Only randomized controlled trials were included. The primary outcome evaluated was eradication rate of H. pylori. The secondary outcomes evaluated were adverse events and compliance rates. Meta-analyses were performed with Cochrane Review Manager 5.4. The Mantel-Haenszel method was used to estimate the pooled relative risk and 95% confidence interval of the eradication rates between HT and other regimens, as well as the secondary outcomes.

RESULTS

10 studies were included, comprising 2993 patients. The mean eradication rates achieved by HT with intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses were, respectively, 86% (range: 79.2-90.8%) and 91.7% (range: 82.6-96.1%). No statistically significant difference was found in ITT eradication rate between HT and CT (relative risk: 1; 95% CI: 0.96- 1.03) and between HT and ST (relative risk: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.92-1.14). PP analysis revealed similar results. HT was associated with higher compliance rates than CT and slightly lower than ST. As far as adverse events are concerned, this meta-analysis demonstrated a higher occurrence of adverse events on the group of patients treated with CT when compared with HT. HT and ST showed similar results.

CONCLUSION

HT has similar eradication, compliance and adverse event rates when compared to ST, but a better safety profile than the CT.

Clarithromycin-based Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy is not associated with higher treatment failure compared with non-clarithromycin-based regimens in a tertiary referral hospital in Switzerland

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Due to increasing antibiotic resistance, various Helicobacter pylori eradication regimens other than clarithromycin-based therapies have been proposed. However, detailed data on which therapies were employed and their eradication success is lacking. The purpose of this study was to analyse the response rates of different eradication therapy schemes.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, we analysed data of 1721 patients and included 608 patients undergoing H. pylori eradication therapy at the Department of Gastroenterology at the University Hospital Zurich between 2004 and 2018. The primary endpoint was the success rates of clarithromycin- and non-clarithromycin-containing H. pylori eradication regimens. We furthermore analysed factors with potential impact on the outcome of H. pylori eradication therapies, such as demographics, and smoking and social status.

RESULTS

The most common therapy scheme (71% of all cases) was proton pump inhibitor (PPI)-amoxicillin-metronidazole, followed by PPI-amoxicillin-clarithromycin (21%) and PPI-metronidazole-clarithromycin (6%). There was no difference between the H. pylori eradication success of clarithromycin vs non-clarithromycin-containing therapies (71% vs 71%, p = 0.764).

CONCLUSION

Despite increasing clarithromycin resistance globally, there was no difference in the eradication success of clarithromycin- and non-clarithromycin-containing therapy regimens in Switzerland. As varying triple therapies do not increase eradication rates in real-world settings, other primary therapy options such as quadruple therapies should be explored.

V Spanish Consensus Conference on Helicobacter pylori infection treatment

Helicobacter pylori infection is very common in the Spanish population and represents the main cause of chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. The last iteration of Spanish consensus guidelines on H. pylori infection was conducted in 2016. Recent changes in therapeutic schemes along with increasing supporting evidence were key for developing the V Spanish Consensus Conference (May 2021). Fourteen experts performed a systematic review of the scientific evidence and developed a series of recommendations that were subjected to an anonymous Delphi process of iterative voting. Scientific evidence and the strength of the recommendation were classified using GRADE guidelines. An eradication therapy, when prescribed empirically, is considered acceptable when it reliably achieves, or preferably surpass, 90% cure rates. Currently, only quadruple therapies (with or without bismuth) and generally lasting 14 days, accomplish this goal in first- and second-line therapies. A non-bismuth quadruple concomitant regimen (proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin, amoxicillin, and metronidazole) or a quadruple bismuth-based combination (proton pump inhibitor, bismuth, tetracycline, and metronidazole), are recommended as first-line regimens. Rescue therapies after eradication failure and management of H. pylori infection in peptic ulcer disease were also reviewed.

Evidence based guidelines for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in Korea 2020

Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. H. pylori is responsible for substantial gastrointestinal morbidity with a high disease burden. Since the revision of the H. pylori Clinical Practice Guidelines in 2013 in Korea, the eradication rate of H. pylori has gradually decreased with the use of a clarithromycin based triple therapy. According to a nationwide randomized controlled study by the Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research released in 2018, the intention-to-treat eradication rate was only 63.9%, which was mostly due to increased antimicrobial resistance to clarithromycin. The clinical practice guidelines for treatment of H. pylori were updated based on evidence-based medicine from a meta-analysis conducted on a target group receiving the latest level of eradication therapy. The draft recommendations developed based on the meta-analysis were finalized after expert consensus on three recommendations regarding the indication for treatment and eight recommendations on the treatment itself. These guidelines were designed to provide clinical evidence for the treatment of H. pylori to patients, nurses, medical school students, policymakers, and clinicians. These may differ from current medical insurance standards, and will be revised if more evidence emerges in the future.

Comparative efficacy and safety of high-dose dual therapy, bismuth-based quadruple therapy and non-bismuth quadruple therapies for Helicobacter pylori infection: a network meta-analysis

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with the development of multiple diseases. The eradication rate of H. pylori has gradually decreased, suggesting the need to discover more effective therapies. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of first-line treatments including high-dose dual therapy (HDDT), bismuth-based quadruple therapy (BQT), sequential therapy (ST), concomitant therapy (CT) and hybrid therapy (HT) by network meta-analysis (NMA). A comprehensive search on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science, was performed from their inception to 1 September 2019. A network analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing first-line therapies were carried out using Stata 14.0 and Revman 5.2. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was conducted by omitting non-Asian studies. Finally, 41 RCTs with 14 119 patients were included. The NMA showed that, in terms of eradication rate, ST for 10 days (ST-10) was significantly lower than CT for 10 or 14 days (CT ≥ 10). Sensitivity analysis among the Asian population showed that ST-10 denoted the lowest effectiveness among the interventions. The ranking results based on probability showed that HDDT ranked first for the eradication rate. As for adverse events, HDDT was significantly less than BQT and CT regardless of duration, while BQT for 14 days represented higher adverse events than ST, HT and CT ≥ 10. HDDT ranked first among the therapies. In conclusion, HDDT for 14 days appeared to be the most optimal first-line therapy for H. pylori among the Asian population with comparable efficacy and compliance but causing fewer adverse events.

Evidence-Based Guidelines for the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Korea 2020

Helicobacter pylori infection is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. Although the prevalence of H. pylori is gradually decreasing, approximately half of the world's population still becomes infected with this disease. H. pylori is responsible for substantial gastrointestinal morbidity worldwide, with a high disease burden. It is the most common cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers and gastric cancer. Since the revision of the H. pylori clinical practice guidelines in 2013 in Korea, the eradication rate of H. pylori has gradually decreased with the use of a clarithromycin-based triple therapy for 7 days. According to a nationwide randomized controlled study conducted by the Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research released in 2018, the intention-to-treat eradication rate was only 63.9%, which was mostly due to increased antimicrobial resistance, especially from clarithromycin. The clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of H. pylori were updated according to evidence-based medicine from a meta-analysis conducted on a target group receiving the latest level of eradication therapy. The draft recommendations developed based on the meta-analysis were finalized after an expert consensus on three recommendations regarding the indication for treatment and eight recommendations for the treatment itself. These guidelines were designed to provide clinical evidence for the treatment (including primary care treatment) of H. pylori infection to patients, nurses, medical school students, policymakers, and clinicians. These may differ from current medical insurance standards and will be revised if more evidence emerges in the future.

Evidence-based Guidelines for the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection in Korea: 2020 Revised Edition

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide. Although its incidence is gradually decreasing, about half of the world's population still get infected. H. pylori infection is responsible for substantial gastrointestinal morbidity worldwide. It is the most common cause of gastric and duodenal ulcers as well as gastric cancer. Since the revision of the H. pylori Clinical Practice Guidelines in 2013, the eradication rate of H. pylori has gradually decreased with the use of classical triple therapy, wherein amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and proton pump inhibitors are administered, for 7 days. According to a nationwide randomized controlled study conducted by the Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research released in 2018, the intention-to-treat eradication rate was only 63.9%, which was due to increased antimicrobial resistance induced by the use of antibiotics, especially clarithromycin. The update of clinical practice guideline for treatment of H. pylori was developed based on evidence-based medicine by conducting a meta-analysis. The draft recommendations were finalized after expert consensus on three recommendations regarding the indication for treatment and eight recommendations on the treatment itself. These guidelines are designed to provide patients, nurses, medical school students, policymakers, and clinicians with clinical evidence to guide primary care and treatment of H. pylori infection. These may differ from current medical insurance standards and will be revised further, if necessary, based on research-based evidence.

The Prevalence of Multidrug Resistance of Helicobacter pylori and Its Impact on Eradication in Korea from 2017 to 2019: A Single-Center Study

Antimicrobial resistance is one of the major factors determining the efficacy of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. This study aimed to estimate the recent prevalence of multidrug resistance of H. pylori and its impact on eradication in Korea. A total of 174 patients were prospectively enrolled at Chung-Ang University Hospital from 2017 to 2019. H. pylori strains were isolated from the gastric body and antrum. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of antibiotics were determined by the serial twofold agar dilution method. Eradication results were reviewed and analyzed in connection with antibiotic resistance. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 51.7% (90/174). The culture success rate was 77.8% (70/90). The resistance rates for clarithromycin, metronidazole, amoxicillin, tetracycline, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin were 28.6% (20/70), 27.1% (19/70), 20.0% (14/70), 18.6% (13/70), 42.9% (30/70), and 42.9% (30/70), respectively. The multidrug resistance (resistance to two or more classes of antimicrobials) rate was 42.9% (30/70). Dual resistance to clarithromycin and metronidazole was confirmed in 8.6% (6/70). Eradication with a first-line treatment was successful in 75% (36/48), and those who received second-line treatment all achieved successful eradication. The rate of multidrug resistance is increasing, and standard triple therapy (STT) is no longer an acceptable first-line option for H. pylori eradication in Korea.

Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy versus concomitant quadruple therapy as first-line treatment for Helicobacter Pylori infection in an area of high resistance to clarithromycin: A prospective, cross-sectional, comparative, open trial

BACKGROUND

Concomitant quadruple (CQT) or bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (BQT) is recommended as first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection depending on antibiotic resistance.

AIM

To compare the efficacy, safety, and compliance of CQT and BQT as first-line therapy for H. pylori eradication in real clinical practice in an area of high resistance to clarithromycin.

METHODS

A prospective, open, comparative cross-sectional study including dyspeptic patients >18 years with H. pylori infection and with no previous eradication treatment was performed. CQT (omeprazole 20 mg + clarithromycin 500 mg + amoxicillin 1 g + metronidazole 500 mg, all given twice daily, for 14 days) or BQT (omeprazole 20 mg twice daily + 3 capsules of Pylera® 4 times a day, for 10 days) was prescribed at the discretion of the prescribing physician. Eradication was tested by ¹³ C-urea breath test. Efficacy was assessed by intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analyses.

RESULTS

One hundred and four consecutive patients were included (64.4% female, age 52.9 years). Fifty patients received CQT and 54 BQT. Eradication rate was similar with both therapies at the PP (CQT 97.9%, 95% CI: 93.9-100 vs BQT 96.2%, 95% CI: 90.9-100, P = 0.605) and ITT analyses (CQT 98.0%, 95% CI: 94-100 vs BQT 94.4%, 95% CI: 88.1-100, P = 0.346). The rate of adverse events was also similar with CQT (56%) and BQT (46.3%). One patient in each group discontinued the treatment due to significant adverse events.

CONCLUSION

The use of CQT and BQT as first-line treatment against H. pylori is similarly effective and safe strategy in an area of high clarithromycin resistance.

Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis: Concomitant Therapy vs. Triple Therapy for the First-Line Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection

BACKGROUND

Whether concomitant therapy is superior to triple therapy of various treatment lengths for the first-line treatment of H. pylori remains controversial. The objective of this study is to compare the efficacy of concomitant therapy and triple therapy given for 5-14 days.

METHODS

Randomized control trials (RCTs) comparing the efficacy of concomitant therapy for 5-14 days and proton pump inhibitor-amoxicillin-clarithromycin (PAC)-based triple therapy for 5-14 days in the first-line treatment of adult patients with H. pylori infection published from 1990 to January 2018 were searched from the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase. Abstracts from international annual conferences were also searched. The primary and secondary outcomes were the eradication rate according to the intention-to-treat analysis and the adverse effects, respectively. Subgroup analyses were also performed according to treatment length. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42017081328.

RESULTS

Of the 639 articles identified, 23 RCTs including 3305 patients in the concomitant therapy group and 3327 patients in the triple therapy group were eligible. Overall, concomitant therapy was superior to triple therapy [risk ratio (RR): 1.15; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09-1.21; p < 0.001]. However, there were significant heterogeneity (I² = 74.0%, p < 0.001). In the subgroup analysis, 5-day concomitant therapy was superior to 5-day triple therapy (RR: 1.30; 95% CI: 1.04-1.62; p = 0.02), 5- or 7-day concomitant therapy was superior to 7-day triple therapy (RR: 1.16; 95% CI: 1.12-1.21; p < 0.001), and 5- or 7-, or 10- or 14-day concomitant therapy was superior to 10-day triple therapy (RR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.08-1.23; p < 0.001). However, 5- or 10-day concomitant therapy was not superior to 14-day triple therapy (RR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.89-1.16; p = 0.796). The frequency of adverse effects was significantly higher in concomitant therapy than triple therapy (RR: 1.19; 95% CI: 1.06-1.34; P = 0.004).

CONCLUSIONS

Concomitant therapy given for 5 or 10 days was superior to 5- or 7-, or 10-day PAC-based triple therapy, but was not superior to 14-day triple therapy.

Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of the hybrid scheme for eradication therapy of Helicobacter pylori infection

The aim is to conduct a comprehensive comparative study of the efficacy and safety of the hybrid scheme of eradication therapy (ET) in patients with peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum associated with Helicobacter pylori. Materials and methods. In a prospective, randomized comparative study, 180 patients were divided into three equal groups of 60 people, depending on the prescribed 10-day ET regimen. Group 1 - the standard triple scheme (omeprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin); group 2 - four-component therapy with preparations of bismuth (omeprazole, tetracycline, metronidazole, bismuth tricalium dicitrate); group 3 - hybrid scheme (first 5 days: omeprazole and amoxicillin, the next 5 days: omeprazole, amoxicillin, clarithromycin, metronidazole). The effectiveness of ET was determined with the help of a breath test a month after the end of therapy. Adverse events were recorded by patients in specially developed diaries. Pharmacoeconomic analysis was carried out using the "cost-effectiveness" method with calculation of the CER coefficient. Results and discussion. The effectiveness of standard triple therapy was 73.3% (ITT), 75.9% (PP); four-component therapy with bismuth preparations - 78.3% (ITT), 82.4% (PP); hybrid scheme - 85% (ITT), 91% (PP). Hybrid therapy proved to be significantly more effective than standard triple therapy with a odds ratio (OR) of 3.25; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-9.73 (p=0.043, χ2=4.75, p-level=0.029298). The incidence of adverse events with the use of triple, four-component and hybrid ET regimens was 15; 18.3 and 28.3% respectively. The OR of at least one adverse event in patients receiving a hybrid ET regimen compared with triple therapy was 2.24 (95% CI 0.91-5.53, p=0.0823, χ2=3.14, p-level=0.076394), and compared with the four-component therapy - 1.76 (95% CI 0.74-4.17, p=0.2804, χ2=1.68, p-level=0.194924). According to the results of the pharmacoeconomic analysis, the most profitable from an economic point of view was a hybrid ET scheme with a CER of 20.1. The conclusion. Hybrid therapy showed the greatest effectiveness in comparison with the triple and four-component ET regimens, however, the incidence of side effects in patients receiving the hybrid ET scheme was higher, although it remained within the acceptable level for use in clinical practice. Pharmacoeconomic analysis also showed the advisability of designating a hybrid ET scheme. The obtained data allow to draw a conclusion about the necessity of further study of the efficiency and safety of the hybrid ET scheme.

Hybrid therapy as first-line regimen for Helicobacter pylori eradication in a high clarithromycin resistance area: a prospective open-label trial

BACKGROUND

Hybrid therapy is a promising first-line regimen for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication. We evaluated a hybrid therapy, assessing the impact of antibiotic resistance on eradication outcome.

METHODS

This was a prospective study that included 155 treatment-naïve patients diagnosed with H. pylori infection by positive CLO-test, confirmed with histology and/or culture. The hybrid therapy consisted of 40 mg esomeprazole and 1 g amoxicillin for 14 days, with the addition of 500 mg clarithromycin and 500 mg metronidazole for the final 7 days (all b.i.d.). Eradication was defined by negative 13C-urea breath test or histology.

RESULTS

The eradication rates were 85.8% (133/155; 95% confidence interval [CI] 79.4-90.5%) by intention-to-treat and 90.2% (129/143; 95%CI 84.1-94.2%) by per-protocol analysis in a setting of high antibiotic resistance (clarithromycin 25.9%, metronidazole 31.1%, dual resistance 8.9%). Adverse events occurred in 29.7% and 1.3% discontinued treatment because of adverse events. Adherence >90% was achieved in 96.6%. The eradication rate in patients with dual clarithromycin/metronidazole resistance (50%) was markedly lower compared to those with single clarithromycin resistance (91.4%), single metronidazole resistance (90.5%) or dual susceptibility (97.8%). Dual resistance was the only factor to correlate with the failure of hybrid therapy (odds ratio 14.4, 95%CI 3.8-54.9, P=0.0003).

CONCLUSIONS

Hybrid therapy is an effective and safe first-line regimen in populations with relatively high rates of antibiotic resistance. However, dual clarithromycin/metronidazole resistance may significantly compromise its efficacy.

Effects of anti-Helicobacter pylori concomitant therapy and probiotic supplementation on the throat and gut microbiota in humans

The microbiota within humans maintains homeostasis and plays important roles in human health. However, some situations such as the use of antibiotics may disrupt the microbiota balance and result in a series of adverse effects. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a commonly used anti-Helicobacter pylori concomitant therapy on the composition of the gut and throat microbiota and any antibiotic resistance that may develop. In addition to the standard regimen, two different supplementary probiotic regimens that both used Saccharomyces boulardii were included. Microbiological culture-based techniques were used to analyse the microbiota composition and antibiotic resistance. Our results showed marked quantitative and qualitative alterations in both the gut and throat microbiota after treatment with not only the standard concomitant therapy but also with either supplementary probiotic regimen. Nevertheless, most of the changes in the gut microbiota (except for yeast and Bacteroides spp. counts) reverted by Day 71, whereas the alterations in the throat microbiota appeared to persist. Patients treated with the eradication therapy in the absence of probiotic supplementation experienced the most pronounced disturbances in the throat microbiota, whereas changes in the throat microbiota appeared to stabilize in the groups that received probiotic supplementation. We also detected higher antibiotic resistance rates for Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus spp. and Bacteroides spp. after treatment with the eradication therapy. Co-administration of probiotics is likely to be more effective than post-antibiotic supplementation, and although some beneficial effects were observed, the probiotic combination did not exert significant effects on the unbalanced commensal gut and throat microbiota composition.

Hybrid Therapy Regimen for Helicobacter Pylori Eradication

Objective:

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication remains a challenge with increasing antibiotic resistance. Hybrid therapy has attracted widespread attention because of initial report with good efficacy and safety. However, many issues on hybrid therapy are still unclear such as the eradication efficacy, safety, compliance, influencing factors, correlation with antibiotic resistance, and comparison with other regimens. Therefore, a comprehensive review on the evidence of hybrid therapy for H. pylori infection was conducted.

Data Sources:

The data used in this review were mainly from PubMed articles published in English up to September 30, 2015, searching by the terms of “Helicobacter pylori” or “H. pylori”, and “hybrid”.

Study Selection:

Clinical research articles were selected mainly according to their level of relevance to this topic.

Results:

Totally, 1871 patients of 12 studies received hybrid therapy. The eradication rates were 77.6–97.4% in intention-to-treat and 82.6–99.1% in per-protocol analyses. Compliance was 93.3–100.0%, overall adverse effects rate was 14.5–67.5%, and discontinued medication rate due to adverse effects was 0–6.7%. H. pylori culture and sensitivity test were performed only in 13.3% patients. Pooled analysis showed that the eradication rates with dual clarithromycin and metronidazole susceptible, isolated metronidazole or clarithromycin resistance, and dual clarithromycin and metronidazole resistance were 98.5%, 97.6%, 92.9%, and 80.0%, respectively. Overall, the efficacy, compliance, and safety of hybrid therapy were similar with sequential or concomitant therapy. However, hybrid therapy might be superior to sequential therapy in Asians.

Conclusions:

Hybrid therapy showed wide differences in the efficacy but consistently good compliance and safety across different regions. Dual clarithromycin and metronidazole resistance were the key factor to efficacy. Hybrid therapy was similar to sequential or concomitant therapy in the efficacy, safety, and compliance.

Management of Helicobacter pylori infection-the Maastricht V/Florence Consensus Report

Important progress has been made in the management of Helicobacter pylori infection and in this fifth edition of the Maastricht Consensus Report, key aspects related to the clinical role of H. pylori were re-evaluated in 2015. In the Maastricht V/Florence Consensus Conference, 43 experts from 24 countries examined new data related to H. pylori in five subdivided workshops: (1) Indications/Associations, (2) Diagnosis, (3) Treatment, (4) Prevention/Public Health, (5) H. pylori and the Gastric Microbiota. The results of the individual workshops were presented to a final consensus voting that included all participants. Recommendations are provided on the basis of the best available evidence and relevance to the management of H. pylori infection in the various clinical scenarios.

Hybrid Therapy as First-Line Regimen for Helicobacter pylori Eradication in Populations with High Antibiotic Resistance Rates

BACKGROUND

Hybrid therapy has recently attracted widespread attention. However, many issues require further exploration. For example, research in regions with high antibiotic resistance rates is limited, and the correlation between eradication efficacy and antibiotic resistance remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy, compliance, safety, and risk factors of hybrid therapy as first-line regimen in a region with high antibiotic resistance rates.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This prospective study was conducted in a tertiary hospital between January 2014 and June 2015. A total of 196 patients with dyspepsia but without prior eradication therapy received hybrid regimen (esomeprazole 20 mg and amoxicillin 1000 mg twice daily for 14 days with the addition of clarithromycin 500 mg and tinidazole 500 mg twice daily for the final 7 days). All patients underwent Helicobacter pylori culture, antibiotic susceptibility testing and cytochrome P450 isoenzyme 2C19 polymorphism testing.

RESULTS

Hybrid therapy achieved eradication rates of 77.0% (95% confidence interval (CI), 70.9-83.7%) in intention-to-treat (ITT), 83.9% (78.9-88.9%) in modified ITT and 86.0% (80.2-91.3%) in per-protocol analyses in a setting with high antibiotic resistance rates (amoxicillin 2.0%, clarithromycin 44.9%, metronidazole 67.3% and dual clarithromycin and metronidazole 33.3%). Adverse reactions occurred in 31.9% patients and 2.7% discontinued medications due to adverse reactions. Good compliance was achieved by 92.0%. Multivariate analyses identified clarithromycin resistance (odds ratio, 3.494; 95% CI, 1.237-9.869), metronidazole resistance (3.012; 1.013-12.054) and poor compliance (5.840; 1.126-30.296) as independent predictors of treatment failure. The eradication rate with dual clarithromycin and metronidazole resistance (70.2%) was markedly decreased compared to isolated clarithromycin resistance (87.5%), isolated metronidazole resistance (88.6%), or dual susceptibility (96.4%) (p = .014).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite good compliance and safety, hybrid therapy as first-line regimen in populations with high antibiotic resistance rates had unsatisfactory efficacy, primarily due to dual clarithromycin and metronidazole resistance.

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection 2016

Many interesting articles have been published from different parts of the world over the last year assessing various issues around Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy. This article will address the published literature over the last year pertaining to the topic of treatment of H. pylori infection. The main themes that emerge are assessing the efficacy of standard triple therapy, as well as exploring new first-line treatments, mainly optimized nonbismuth-containing and bismuth-containing quadruple therapies with some promising data also emerging on dual therapy. There was also considerable progress in investigating antibiotic resistance rates with much more data emerging from varied parts of the world compared to recent years. Advances in the use of adjunctive therapies, especially probiotic therapies have also been made. Undoubtedly, the eradication of H. pylori remains a worthwhile goal to alleviate the burden of diseases caused by the complications of this infection, including dyspepsia, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer.

[Cuadruple concomitant non-bismuth therapy vs. classical triple therapy as first line therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

In a previous study we found that the classical triple therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) had low efficacy (under 70%) in our area. After this finding, in mid 2012 quadruple concomitant therapy started to be prescribed in our hospital. The aim of the present study is to compare the efficacy of classical triple therapy and quadruple concomitant therapy without bismuth.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Observational retrospective study of prescribed treatments between 1st January 2012 and 5th May 2014 and their efficacy.

RESULTS

During the study period 510 patients were prescribed a first line therapy; in 179 cases (35,1%) the combination amoxiciline+clarithromicine+PPI was prescribed during 7-14 days, and 298 patients (58,4%) were treated with amoxicillin+clarithromycin+metronidazole+PPI for 10 days. The quadruple concomitant therapy had a higher efficacy than the classical triple therapy, both in an "intention to treat" (84.8% vs. 65.7%, P=.001) and "per protocol" (86.9% vs. 67.2%, P=.001) analysis. Triple therapy had a higher efficacy when it was prescribed for 10 days compared to 7 days (77.9% vs. 56.5%, P=.005 per "intention to treat" and 77.9% vs. 58.5%, P=.011 "per protocol"). When quadruple concomitant therapy was compared with classical triple therapy prescribed over 10 days no significant differences were found.

CONCLUSIONS

In our setting, cuadruple concomitant therapy without bismuth has a high efficacy as first line therapy for H. pylori eradication, with much better results than classical triple therapy in the way that it is most widely prescribed (short courses of 7-day with a single dose of omeprazole).

IV Spanish Consensus Conference on Helicobacter pylori infection treatment

Helicobacter pylori approximately infect 50% of Spanish population and causes chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer and gastric cancer. Until now, three consensus meetings on H.pylori infection had been performed in Spain (the last in 2012). The changes in the treatment schemes, and the increasing available evidence, have justified organizing the IVSpanish Consensus Conference (March 2016), focused on the treatment of this infection. Nineteen experts participated, who performed a systematic review of the scientific evidence and developed a series of recommendation that were subjected to an anonymous Delphi process of iterative voting. Scientific evidence and the strength of the recommendation were classified using GRADE guidelines. As starting point, this consensus increased the minimum acceptable efficacy of recommended treatments that should reach, or preferably surpass, the 90% cure rate when prescribed empirically. Therefore, only quadruple therapies (with or without bismuth), and generally lasting 14 days, are recommended both for first and second line treatments. Non-bismuth quadruple concomitant regimen, including a proton pump inhibitor, clarithromycin, amoxicillin and metronidazole, is recommended as first line. In the present consensus, other first line alternatives and rescue treatments are also reviewed and recommended.

Hybrid, sequential and concomitant therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM: To compare hybrid therapy (HT) with traditional sequential therapy (ST) and concomitant therapy (CT) for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication.

METHODS: We performed an electronic search of PubMed, Embase, and the CENTRAL database. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of HT were included in the meta-analysis. The primary outcome was the eradication rate of H. pylori. The secondary outcomes included the compliance rate and adverse event rate. Effect estimates were pooled using the random-effects model.

RESULTS: Twelve studies were included. Pooled results showed no significant differences in eradication rate between HT and ST in per-protocol (PP) analysis (RR = 1.03, 95%CI: 0.94-1.12, P = 0.59) or in intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis (RR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.89-1.12, P = 0.94). HT and ST showed similarly high compliance rate (96% vs 98%, P = 0.55) and acceptable adverse event rate (30.3% vs 28.2%, P = 0.63). No significant results were seen in the eradication rate between HT and CT in PP analysis (RR = 1.01, 95%CI: 0.96-1.05, P = 0.76) or in ITT analysis (RR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.95-1.03, P = 0.47). HT displayed a slightly higher compliance rate than CT (95.8% vs 93.2%, P < 0.05). The adverse event rates of HT and CT were similar (39.5% vs 44.2%, P = 0.24).

CONCLUSION: Compared with ST or CT, HT yields a similar eradication rate, high compliance rate, and acceptable safety profiles.

Antibiotic resistance and CYP2C19 polymorphisms affect the efficacy of concomitant therapies for Helicobacter pylori infection: an open-label, randomized, single-centre clinical trial

OBJECTIVES

We evaluate the efficacy of concomitant therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection and the associated factors that influence it in China, where it has not previously been investigated.

METHODS

In this prospective study, 374 consecutive patients with H. pylori infection were randomly assigned to 10 day regimens of concomitant therapy with different proton pump inhibitors: esomeprazole (20 mg)/omeprazole (20 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg), clarithromycin (500 mg) and metronidazole (400 mg). All drugs were administered twice daily. A [(13)C]urea breath test was performed at least 4 weeks after the completion of treatment. Gene polymorphisms and antimicrobial susceptibility were determined.

RESULTS

A total of 374 patients with active, uncomplicated duodenal ulcer disease were enrolled in the study (187 cases in each group). The overall eradication rate resulting from concomitant therapy was 90.7% (PP) and 86.1% (ITT) and the eradication rate was significantly higher in the group that received an esomeprazole-based regimen compared with the group that received an omeprazole-based regimen [95.4% versus 86.0%, respectively, P = 0.003 (PP) and 89.8% versus 82.4%, P = 0.036 (ITT), respectively]. Moreover, the omeprazole-based regimen was an independent risk factor for treatment failure (P = 0.039), as were CYP2C19 extensive metabolizer (P = 0.005), clarithromycin (P = 0.000) and metronidazole resistance (P = 0.000). In addition, CYP2C19 polymorphisms and antibiotic resistance had a synergistic effect on eradication rates. The majority of side effects were mild and none was serious.

CONCLUSIONS

The 10 day concomitant therapy yielded an eradication rate of nearly 90%. Antibiotic resistance, CYP2C19 polymorphisms and their interactions were closely associated with regimen efficacy.