ENHANCED CLEARING OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI AFTER OMEPRAZOLE PLUS ROXITHROMYCIN TREATMENT

The in vitro antibacterial activity of omeprazole against eight strains of Helicobacter pylori was evaluated. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were 32-mu-g/ml and 64-mu-g/ml (MIC50 and MIC90 respectively). We performed a randomized single blind study comparing the efficacy of omeprazole alone (for 4 weeks) or combined with roxithromycin (for 2 weeks) in the treatment of duodenal ulcer and chronic active gastritis associated with H. pylori infection, H. pylori was eradicated in 75% of patients treated with omeprazole alone whereas the patients treated with the combination of these drugs were completely free from H. pylori at the end of the therapy.