Maastricht II treatment scheme and efficacy of different proton pump inhibitors in eradicating Helicobacter pylori

AIM: The Maastricht II criteria suggest the use of amoxicillin and clarithromycin in addition to a proton pump inhibitor over 7-10 d as a first line therapy in the eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H pylori). For each proton pump inhibitor, various rates of eradication have been reported. The present study was to compare the efficacy of different proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole in combination with amoxicillin and clarithromycin in the first line eradication of H pylori and to investigate the success of H pylori eradication in our district. METHODS: A total of 139 patients were included having a Helicobacter pylori (+) gastroduodenal disorders diagnosed by means of histology and urease test. Besides amoxicillin (1 000 mg twice a day) and clarithromycin (500 mg twice a day), they were randomized to take omeprazole (20 mg twice a day), or lansoprazole (30 mg twice a day), or pantoprozole (40 mg twice a day) for 14 d. Four weeks after the therapy, the eradication was assessed by means of histology and urease test. It was evaluated as eradicated if the H pylori was found negative in both. The complaints (pain in epigastrium, nocturnal pain, pyrosis and bloating) were graded in accordance with the Licert scale. The compliance of the patients was recorded. RESULTS: The eradication was found to be 40.8% in the omeprazole group, 43.5% in the lansoprazole group and 47.4% in the pantoprazole group. Sixty-three out of 139 patients (45%) had eradication. No statistically significant difference was observed between the groups. Significant improvements were seen in terms of the impact on the symptom scores in each group. CONCLUSION: There was no difference between omeprazole, lansoprazole and pantoprazole in H pylori eradication, and the rate of eradication was as low as 45%. Symptoms were improved independent of the eradication in each treatment group. The low eradication rates suggest that the antibiotic resistance or the genetic differences of the microorganism might be in effect. Further studies are required to verify these suggestions.