Levofloxacin based sequential and triple therapy compared with standard plus probiotic combination for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Development of resistance to standard therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication is rapid. The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of alternative treatment modalities for H. pylori. Compared treatments were standard triple treatment plus probiotic, sequential therapy with levofloxacin, and a 14-day regimen of PPI (proton pump inhibitor) and levofloxacin/amoxicillin combination.

METHODOLOGY

Overall 285 patients were enrolled in the study and allocated into three groups. Group I (n=98) received lansoprazole, clarithromycin, amoxicillin and saccharomyces boulardii (probiotic) and group II (n=95) received esomeprazole, levofloxacin and amoxicillin for 14 days. Finally, group III (n=92) received esomeprazole and amoxicillin for five days, followed by esomeprazole, levofloxacin and metronidazole for seven days. Testing for H. pylori infection post-treatment was done using a stool antigen test five weeks after the completion of therapy.

RESULTS

Patients in all three groups were treatment-naive. Response to treatment (Per Protocol/ITT analysis) was 77.1/72.4% in Group I, 89.1/86.3% in Group II, and 95.5% in Group III. Response to treatment was significantly higher in Groups II and III compared to Group I (p=0.03 and p<0.001, respectively). There was no difference between Groups II and III in terms of response to treatment (p=0.1).

CONCLUSIONS

Levofloxacin-based sequential therapy and levofloxacin based triple therapy were significantly superior to standard triple therapy plus probiotic.