One-week use of ranitidine bismuth citrate, amoxycillin and clarithromycin for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori-related duodenal ulcer.

BACKGROUND

Proton pump inhibitors have been widely used in combination with amoxycillin, clarithromycin or metronidazole for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection.

AIM

To study the effects of 1-week ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC)-based triple therapy in the treatment of H. pylori-related duodenal ulcers.

METHOD

Patients with duodenal ulcers and H. pylori infection were prospectively randomized to receive either RBC with amoxycillin and clarithromycin for 1 week (RAC), or omeprazole with amoxycillin and clarithromycin for 1 week (OAC). No additional ulcer healing drug was used after the 1-week medication. Patients were assessed for H. pylori eradication, ulcer healing and side-effects after receiving the therapies.

RESULTS

One hundred consecutive patients were recruited to this study, with 50 patients randomized to each treatment group. In the intention-to-treat analysis, duodenal ulcers were completely healed in 45 (90%) patients in the RAC group and 43 (89.6%) in the OAC group (P = 1.0). H. pylori eradication was confirmed in 47 (94%) in the RAC group and 42 (87.5%) in the OAC group (P = 0.31). There was no significant difference in the severity of side-effects experienced by the two treatment groups.

CONCLUSION

One-week RBC-based triple therapy is an effective treatment for H. pylori-related duodenal ulcers. The therapeutic effects are comparable to a 1-week course of proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapy.