Health
Sequential therapy more effective for eradicating H. pylori
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 2, 2008
Administering a set sequence of proton pump inhibitors and antibiotics is more effective at eliminating Helicobacter pylori than taking all these drugs together, according to a meta-analysis published online last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Researchers pooled 10 randomized controlled trials studying the two approaches in 2,747 treatment-naïve patients. Seven days of PPI drugs accompanied by two antibiotics eradicated H. pylori in nearly 77% of patients, but five days of a PPI and one antibiotic followed by another five days of a PPI and two antibiotics accomplished this in more than 93% of patients.
The authors are calling for additional randomized trials comparing sequential therapy to PPI-based quadruple therapy or longer-term standard therapy before it becomes more common.
"If such [randomized controlled trials] confirm superiority of sequential therapy over existing treatment regimens, it could becomes standard treatment," wrote the authors.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/06/02/hlbf0602.htm.
