Quadruple therapy for eradication of Helicobacter pylori

Novel Information Regarding the Treatment of Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials

OBJECTIVE

Helicobacter pylori infects at least 50% of the world's human population. The current study aimed to assess and compare the efficacy of triple versus quadruple therapy.

METHODS

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) consisting of triple and quadruple therapy were identified through electronic and manual searches in the national and international online databases (IsI, Magiran, Embase, PubMed, and Scopus). The random-effects model was applied to pool analysis. Funnel plots and the Egger test were used to examine publication bias.

RESULTS

After a detailed review of the selected articles, 80 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis; it was based on using triple and quadruple therapy as the first and second-line treatment. The results showed that quadruple therapy in the first-line treatment had a higher eradication rate than triple therapy. Overall, the eradication rate with triple therapy was 74% (95% CI, 71%-77%) for intention-totreat (ITT) analysis and 80% (95% CI, 77%-82%) for per-protocol (PP) analysis. Generally, the eradication rate with quadruple therapy was 82% (95% CI, 78.0%-86.0%) for ITT analysis and 85% (95% CI, 82.0%-89.0%) for PP analysis. The analysis also revealed that quadruple therapy was more effective for 7 or 10 days.

CONCLUSION

The current study results demonstrated that quadruple therapy has better effectiveness than triple therapy as the first-line treatment; however, in the second-line treatment, the effectiveness of quadruple and triple regimens is almost similar. The effectiveness of quadruple therapy in the Asian population was found to be slightly higher than that of triple therapy, while this difference was considerably higher in the European population.

Population- and Gender-Based Investigation for Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Dhamar, Yemen

Among 35 species of genus Helicobacter, H. pylori is the most common causative agent of human gastritis, peptic ulcer, and gastric cancer. The infection can spread through direct human-to-human contact, fecal-oral route, and contaminated water. The study was designed to investigate the rate of prevalence of H. pylori in the population of Dhamar, Yemen. In this one-year study, 460 including 250 male and 210 female stool specimens were collected between January to December 2020 in Dhamar Governorate, Yemen. Of the total 460, 215 rural (male: n = 120 and female: n = 95) and 245 urban (male: n = 130 and female: n = 115) specimens were investigated for identification of H. pylori by serological test using Helicobacter pylori stool antigen (HpSA) test. In addition, for comparing an improved recovery of H. pylori, conventional culture-based isolation was also carried out using three selective media. Modified Campy-blood Agar (MCA), Belo Horizonte Agar (BHA), and Egg yolk Emulsion (EYE) medium supplemented with antimicrobial agents including vancomycin (10 mg/L), cefsulodin (5 mg/L), trimethoprim (5 mg/L), and amphotericin B (5 mg/L) and isolates were phenotypically characterized. The HpSA test results revealed that of the total 460 specimens, 89 (19.3%) were positive for H. pylori with relatively low in male (n = 43; 17.2%) as compared to the female (n = 46; 21.9%) specimens. After 3-10 days of incubation, H. pylori was recovered at a variable rate on each selective (MCA: 16.5%; BHA: 15.0%; EYE: 13.0%) media. However, culture-based assay results showed less recovery (n = 81; 17.6%) with no significant difference among all selective media tested and between genders (male: n = 39; 15.6%; female: n = 42; 20.0%). The infection rate was comparatively higher in rural (n = 45; 20.9%) as compared to urban (n = 36; 14.7%) population. Overall, the study data showed the prevalence of infection in both genders of all age groups. The present study showed a relatively high rate of infection of H. pylori in the Dhamar population. The serological identification and culture-based methods are important for rapid detection, aid in treatment, and developing policies for the control and eradication of H. pylori infection and to prevent the disease in different age groups in Yemen.

Furazolidone-based first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection in China: A meta-analysis

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy, safety and ulcer healing rate of furazolidone-based first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in China.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of furazolidone-based first-line therapy for H. pylori infection were identified from PubMed (1990-01/2016-05), EMBASE (1990-01/2016-05), Wanfang Data (1990-01/2016-05) and VIP Data (1990-01/2016-05). The quality of included RCTs was assessed, and mea-analysis was conducted with RevMan5.2.4 software.

RESULTS

Among ten included RCTs involving 1904 patients, the H. pylori eradication rate was 84.66% in the furazolidone group and 81.92% in the control group (RR = 1.04, 95%CI: 1.00-1.08). For the per protocol (PP) analysis, the eradication rates of the furazolidone group and control group were 85.55% and 83.07%, respectively (RR = 1.03, 95%CI: 0.99-1.07). The incidence rate of side effects was 12.73% in the furazolidone group and 12.68% in the control group (RR = 1.00, 95%CI: 0.79-1.25, P = 0.97). The ulcer healing rates in the furazolidone group and control group were 91.92% and 92.78%, respectively (RR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.96-1.02, P = 0.59).

CONCLUSION

With similar efficacy, safety and the ulcer healing rate as the control group has, the furazolidone-based therapy could be recommended as a first-line therapy for H. pylori infection in China. However, more high quality RCTs are needed to prove our finding.

Seven-day quintuple regimen as a rescue therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication

AIM: To determine the efficacy of two quintuple regimens for eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in patients who failed previous therapies.

METHODS: This prospective, open-label, randomized controlled trial was a phase II study conducted from April 2011 to March 2012 at the Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center in Rasht, Iran. A total of 208 patients with dyspepsia who failed previous H. pylori eradication with a ten-day quadruple therapy were enrolled. A random block method was used to assign patients to one of two treatment groups. Patients in the first group were treated with 240 mg bismuth subcitrate, 20 mg omeprazole, 1000 mg amoxicillin, 500 mg clarithromycin and 500 mg tinidazole (BOACT group). Patients in the second group received a regimen containing 240 mg bismuth subcitrate, 20 mg omeprazole, 500 mg tetracycline, 500 mg metronidazole and 200 mg ofloxacin (BOTMO group). Both regimens were given twice daily for a duration of seven days. The eradication was confirmed by a ¹⁴C urea breath test 12 wk after completion of therapy. Patient compliance and drug side effects were evaluated at the end of the treatment period. The success rates were calculated by intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses.

RESULTS: A total of 205 patients completed the course of treatment, with three patients excluded due to drug intolerance. The mean age of patients did not differ between the BOACT and BOTMO groups (41.6 ± 12.2 years vs 39.6 ± 11.8 years), and no significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of age, sex, smoking habits or the initial eradication regimen. The intention-to-treat and per-protocol eradication rates were significantly higher in the BOTMO group (86.5%, 95%CI: 0.85-0.87 and 86.7%, 95%CI: 0.80-0.89, respectively) compared with the BOACT group (75.5%, 95%CI: 0.73-0.76 and 76%, 95%CI: 0.69-0.80, respectively) (P < 0.05). Univariate analyses for both groups did not show any association of sex, smoking and initial therapeutic regimen with eradiation rate (P > 0.05 for all). Significantly more patients experienced side effects in the BOACT group compared to the BOTMO group (77.4% vs 36.6%, P < 0.01). This difference was exemplified by increases in headache and taste disturbance (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Quintuple therapy with a BOTMO regimen is an alternative second-line rescue therapy for Iranian patients with failed first-line eradication treatment of H. pylori.

Choosing optimal first-line Helicobacter pylori therapy: a view from a region with high rates of antibiotic resistance

Helicobacter pylori is a gram-negative, microaerophilic spiral bacillus that is associated with life-threatening diseases such as gastric cancer, gastric MALT lymphoma, and peptic ulcer disease. The definition of an effective therapy is one that achieves at least a 90% eradication rate on a per-protocol basis with the first attempt. Eradication rates of H. pylori have declined to unacceptable levels worldwide, mostly due to antibiotic resistance and standard triple therapy gradually has lost its efficacy in most counties. However, bismuth quadruple therapy, when prescribed properly, has maintained its effectiveness. Alternative first-line regimens such as sequential and concomitant therapy were developed to substitute for standard triple therapy and were highly effective in the countries where they were developed, but proved susceptible to failure in regions with high rates of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance rates in Russia are high, however there is lack of data regarding comparative efficacy of first-line eradication options. The authors of this review extrapolate the knowledge of H. pylori first-line eradication options in Russia based on data from other countries, as well as from domestic studies. The available data support use of 14-day regimens with concomitant therapy, bismuth quadruple therapy, or furazolidone quadruple therapy for empiric use in adults. In addition, 14-day levofloxacin-containing therapies could be used if resistance is relatively low or lacking as triple therapy or possibly as a 5-day concomitant levofloxacin therapy.

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection 2013

This review summarizes important studies regarding Helicobacter pylori therapy published from April 2012 up to March 2013. To begin with, the updated European Consensus Guidelines were published last year, highlighting the role of bismuth and nonbismuth quadruple regimen as first-line treatments. Cure rates for standard triple therapy remain acceptable in quite a few settings nowadays, and some reports on innovative triple therapies look promising. One study evaluating bismuth quadruple therapy as first-line therapy was reported. Regarding nonbismuth quadruple regimens, there is a trend of superiority emerging for the "concomitant" therapy over the "sequential" regimen. "Hybrid" therapy, a combination of sequential and concomitant therapy, has also shown advantage over sequential therapy. Levofloxacin-based therapies appear to be useful and versatile in second- and third-line therapies, with interesting results for newer generation quinolones, which may partially overcome antibiotic resistance. Some promising works have been reported for bismuth-based rescue therapy, using individualized therapies upon antimicrobial information, as well as for rifabutin fourth-line therapy. Probiotics appear to have an effect in terms of reducing side effects and improving compliance, but data on improvement of eradication rates remain controversial.