Limited effectiveness with a 10-day bismuth-containing quadruple therapy (Pylera® ) in third-line recue treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection. A real-life multicenter study

Third-line and rescue therapy for refractory Helicobacter pylori infection: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Due to increasing resistance rates of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) to different antibiotics, failures in eradication therapies are becoming more frequent. Even though eradication criteria and treatment algorithms for first-line and second-line therapy against H. pylori infection are well-established, there is no clear recommendation for third-line and rescue therapy in refractory H. pylori infection.

AIM

To perform a systematic review evaluating the efficacy and safety of rescue therapies against refractory H. pylori infection.

METHODS

A systematic search of available rescue treatments for refractory H. pylori infection was conducted on the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed search platform based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Randomized or non-randomized clinical trials and observational studies evaluating the effectiveness of H. pylori infection rescue therapies were included.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight studies were included in the analysis of mean eradication rates as rescue therapy, and 21 of these were selected for analysis of mean eradication rate as third-line treatment. For rifabutin-, sitafloxacin-, levofloxacin-, or metronidazole-based triple-therapy as third-line treatment, mean eradication rates of 81.6% and 84.4%, 79.4% and 81.5%, 55.7% and 60.6%, and 62.0% and 63.0% were found in intention-to-treat (ITT) and per-protocol (PP) analysis, respectively. For third-line quadruple therapy, mean eradication rates of 69.2% and 72.1% were found for bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT), 88.9% and 90.9% for bismuth quadruple therapy, three-in-one, Pylera^® (BQT-Pylera), and 61.3% and 64.2% for non-BQT) in ITT and PP analysis, respectively. For rifabutin-, sitafloxacin-, levofloxacin-, or metronidazole-based triple therapy as rescue therapy, mean eradication rates of 75.4% and 78.8%, 79.4 and 81.5%, 55.7% and 60.6%, and 62.0% and 63.0% were found in ITT and PP analysis, respectively. For quadruple therapy as rescue treatment, mean eradication rates of 76.7% and 79.2% for BQT, 84.9% and 87.8% for BQT-Pylera, and 61.3% and 64.2% for non-BQT were found in ITT and PP analysis, respectively. For susceptibility-guided therapy, mean eradication rates as third-line and rescue treatment were 75.0% in ITT and 79.2% in PP analysis.

CONCLUSION

We recommend sitafloxacin-based triple therapy containing vonoprazan in regions with low macrolide resistance profile. In regions with known resistance to macrolides or unavailability of bismuth, rifabutin-based triple therapy is recommended.

Management of Helicobacter pylori infection: the Maastricht VI/Florence consensus report

Helicobacter pyloriInfection is formally recognised as an infectious disease, an entity that is now included in the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision. This in principle leads to the recommendation that all infected patients should receive treatment. In the context of the wide clinical spectrum associated with Helicobacter pylori gastritis, specific issues persist and require regular updates for optimised management.The identification of distinct clinical scenarios, proper testing and adoption of effective strategies for prevention of gastric cancer and other complications are addressed. H. pylori treatment is challenged by the continuously rising antibiotic resistance and demands for susceptibility testing with consideration of novel molecular technologies and careful selection of first line and rescue therapies. The role of H. pylori and antibiotic therapies and their impact on the gut microbiota are also considered.Progress made in the management of H. pylori infection is covered in the present sixth edition of the Maastricht/Florence 2021 Consensus Report, key aspects related to the clinical role of H. pylori infection were re-evaluated and updated. Forty-one experts from 29 countries representing a global community, examined the new data related to H. pylori infection in five working groups: (1) indications/associations, (2) diagnosis, (3) treatment, (4) prevention/gastric cancer and (5) H. pylori and the gut microbiota. The results of the individual working groups were presented for 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 various clinical fields.

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.

Helicobacter pylori eradication following first-line treatment failure in Europe: What, how and when chose among different standard regimens? A systematic review

Cure rate following standard first-line regimens for Helicobacter pylori eradication is decreasing so several patients require two or more treatments. Antibiotic susceptibility-based therapy, advised in current guidelines, is largely impracticable in clinical practice. Some 'standard' regimens (triple therapies based on either levofloxacin or rifabutin, bismuth-based quadruple therapies, sequential, concomitant and hybrid therapies) were empirically used as rescue therapies. We performed a systematic review on recent studies carried out in European countries dealing with these regimens. A total of 24 studies, with 3804 patients, were identified. As second-line therapy, Pylera (89.2%) and sequential therapy (92.5%) achieved significantly higher cure rates as compared to all the other regimens. As third-line therapy, levofloxacin-based therapy (84.1%) and Pylera (83.6%) achieved similarly high cure rates, whereas standard, bismuth-based quadruple therapy (64.1%) achieved the lowest. As a rescue therapy, the success rate was close to 75% following all therapies used, with data on rifabutin-based regimen consolidated in the larger sample size. Overall, levofloxacin-amoxicillin triple therapy achieved higher eradication rates when the 14- rather than 10-day regimen was used (87.1 vs. 72.2%; P = 0.003). Among bismuth-based therapies, Pylera achieved a significantly higher eradication rate than standard quadruple therapy (88 vs. 67%; P < 0.0001). These data suggest that a wise 'therapeutic package' following first-line therapy could be Pylera, levofloxacin- and rifabutin-based therapy, as long as Pylera therapy was not used as a first-line regimen and levofloxacin-based regimen was administered for 14 days.

Treatment of Refractory Helicobacter pylori Infection-Tailored or Empirical Therapy

The treatment of refractory Helicobacter pylori remains challenging in clinical practice. Factors that should be considered in the treatment of refractory H. pylori infection include treatment length, dosage of antibiotics and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), number of drugs, and the selection of appropriate antibiotics. Extending the treatment length of triple therapy and non-bismuth quadruple therapy to 14 days may increase the eradication rate compared with a shorter period (7 or 10 days). The use of a higher dose of PPIs or vonoprazan may also increase the efficacy of triple therapy. Four-drug therapy, including bismuth or non-bismuth quadruple therapies, usually achieve higher eradication rates than triple therapy. The addition of bismuth or metronidazole to levofloxacin-amoxicillin-PPI therapy may also increase the eradication rate. Therefore, four-drug therapies containing a higher dose of PPIs for 14 days are recommended in the third-line treatment setting for refractory H. pylori infection. The selection of appropriate antibiotics may be guided by susceptibility testing or empirically by medication history. Tailored therapy guided by susceptibility testing or genotypic resistance is recommended whenever possible. However, properly designed empirical therapy based on prior medication history (i.e., avoid the reuse of clarithromycin or levofloxacin empirically) is an acceptable alternative to tailored therapy after considering accessibility, cost, and the preference of the patient.

Bismuth quadruple regimen with tetracycline or doxycycline versus three-in-one single capsule as third-line rescue therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection: Spanish data of the European Helicobacter pylori Registry (Hp-EuReg)

BACKGROUND

Different bismuth quadruple therapies containing proton-pump inhibitors, bismuth salts, metronidazole, and a tetracycline have been recommended as third-line Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment after failure with clarithromycin and levofloxacin.

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of third-line treatments with bismuth, metronidazole, and either tetracycline or doxycycline.

METHODS

Sub-study with Spanish data of the "European Registry on H pylori Management" (Hp-EuReg), international multicenter prospective non-interventional Registry of the routine clinical practice of gastroenterologists. After previous failure with clarithromycin- and levofloxacin-containing therapies, patients receiving a third-line regimen with 10/14-day bismuth salts, metronidazole, and either tetracycline (BQT-Tet) or doxycycline (BQT-Dox), or single capsule (BQT-three-in-one) were included. Data were registered at AEG-REDCap database. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Four-hundred and fifty-four patients have been treated so far: 85 with BQT-Tet, 94 with BQT-Dox, and 275 with BQT-three-in-one. Average age was 53 years, 68% were women. Overall modified intention-to-treat and per-protocol eradication rates were 81% (BQT-Dox: 65%, BQT-Tet: 76%, BQT-three-in-one: 88%) and 82% (BQT-Dox: 66%, BQT-Tet: 77%, BQT-three-in-one: 88%), respectively. By logistic regression, higher eradication rates were associated with compliance (OR = 2.96; 95% CI = 1.01-8.84) and no prior metronidazole use (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.15-3.33); BQT-three-in-one was superior to BQT-Dox (OR = 4.46; 95% CI = 2.51-8.27), and BQT-Tet was marginally superior to BQT-Dox (OR = 1.67; 95% CI = 0.85-3.29).

CONCLUSION

Third-line H pylori eradication with bismuth quadruple treatment (after failure with clarithromycin and levofloxacin) offers acceptable efficacy and safety. Highest efficacy was found in compliant patients and those taking 10-day BQT-three-in-one or 14-day BQT-Tet. Doxycycline seems to be less effective and therefore should not be recommended.

Meta-analysis of three-in-one single capsule bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori

BACKGROUND

Bismuth-containing quadruple therapy has been suggested as first-line and rescue alternative for Helicobacter pylori eradication. Our objective was to perform a meta-analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety of single capsule Pylera^® (bismuth, metronidazole, and tetracycline) plus a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) in any line of treatment.

METHODS

Studies were selected up to October 2018. Outcomes were eradication and adverse events (AEs) rates pooled using the generic inverse variance method.

RESULTS

In total, 30 studies (6482 patients) were included in the systematic review. The intention-to-treat (ITT) efficacy was 90% (95% CI: 87%-92%, 21 studies, I²  = 88%) in first-line therapy, 89% (95% CI: 86%-93%, 12 studies, I²  = 78%) in second-line and 82% (95% CI: 78%-87%, nine studies, I²  = 60%) in third-line; with no differences by the type or dosage of PPI used. For metronidazole-resistant infection, the ITT efficacy as first-line therapy was 93% (95% CI: 90%-96%, six studies, I²  = 0%). In second-line therapies where patients had been previously treated with clarithromycin, the ITT efficacy was 90% (95% CI: 87%-93%, 11 studies, I²  = 78%). The overall incidence of AEs was 43% (95% CI: 35%-50%, 24 studies, I²  = 92%) and they were mostly mild. In nearly 3% of the cases, treatment was interrupted due to AEs.

CONCLUSIONS

A 10-day treatment with Pylera^® achieved an effective eradication rate of approximately 90% both in first- and second-line therapy. This applies regardless of the type and dose of the PPI, in patients with clarithromycin- or metronidazole-resistant strains, and in those previously treated with clarithromycin.

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in 2018

Treatment options for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori continue to evolve. There have been many guidelines for H. pylori treatment published, which may lead to some confusion. However, most are in agreement with the most recent iteration of the Maastricht treatment guidelines. Triple therapy is still the most frequently used treatment, especially in areas of low clarithromycin resistance. Its best results are achieved when taken for a minimum of 10 days and with high-dose acid suppression. Quadruple therapy is gaining in popularity particularly in areas with increasing resistance to standard triple therapy. Whether three antibiotics, or bismuth and two antibiotics are used, excellent eradication rates are achieved, albeit with increased side effects. Levofloxacin second-line therapy is widely used; however bismuth, when available, is an increasingly successful option. Sequential therapy is challenging in terms of compliance and is no longer recommended. This past year witnessed a notable increase in the number of studies based on antimicrobial susceptibility testing and tailored eradication therapy, reflecting the role of culture-guided treatment, which may well represent the future of H. pylori treatment and prevent the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

The "three-in-one" formulation of bismuth quadruple therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication with or without probiotics supplementation: Efficacy and safety in daily clinical practice

BACKGROUND

Clinical trials have shown a good efficacy of the "three-in-one" formulation of bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) for Helicobacter (H.) pylori eradication. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of the three-in-one BQT in clinical practice, and investigate the effect of probiotic supplementation, in Italy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective database, multicentre observational study was conducted in seven Italian Hospitals. Consecutive H. pylori-positive patients who received the three-in-one BQT for 10 days were included in the analysis. H. pylori eradication was assessed by histology, ¹³ C-urea breath test, or stool antigen test. Compliance and adverse events were evaluated by interview.

RESULTS

A total of 376 patients were included in the intention-to-treat (ITT) and 352 in the per protocol (PP) analyses. One hundred and ninety-three subjects received probiotics supplementation. Overall, eradication rates were 90.2% (95% Confidence Interval (CI):86.7-93.0) in ITT and 94.6% (95% CI: 91.7-96.7) in PP analyses. The compliance was good (≥90% of treatment taken) in 94.9% of patients. The proportion of patients with a good compliance was not different with and without probiotics supplementation (94.8% vs 95.1%). Eradication rates were equally high for first-line (91.4%), second-line (87.5%), and third-line treatments (91.7%) in the ITT analysis (P = .48). Adverse events were reported by 32.4% of patients, but only 6.1% of patients discontinued treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

The three-in-one BQT is highly effective and well tolerated for H. pylori eradication in daily clinical practice. Probiotics supplementation fails to improve compliance.

Dealing with uncertainty in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori treatment may be viewed as an uncertain situation, where current knowledge is insufficient to provide evidence-based recommendations for all possible scenarios. Evidence suggests that, under uncertainty conditions, a few simple rules of thumb tend to work better than complex algorithms. Overall, five evidence-based rules of thumb are suggested: (1) Use four drugs; (2) Use maximal acid inhibition; (3) Treat for 2 weeks; (4) Do not repeat antibiotics after treatment failure; and (5) If your treatment works locally, keep using it. These simple rules of thumb may help the reader to select the best alternative for a given patient, choosing between the heterogeneous recommendations provided by the many different consensus conferences on H. pylori treatment recently published.