A Sonnenberg1, C A Olson, J Zhang. 1. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque 87108, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to test whether eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection prevents hemorrhage related to duodenal ulcer. METHODS:Patients with H. pylori infection and endoscopically proven duodenal ulcers without ulcer-related hemorrhage were enrolled into four randomized, double-blind, multicenter studies using the same study protocol. They were treated with clarithromycin plus omeprazole (441 patients), omeprazole alone (447 patients), or ranitidine alone (263 patients). Success of H. pylori eradication was evaluated by the 13C-urea breath test 4-6 wk after the last dose of study drug. Follow-up continued at monthly intervals up to 1 yr after the last dose of study drug. RESULTS:Bleeding due to duodenal ulcer was not observed in any patients who received clarithromycin plus omeprazole, whereas five patients in the omeprazole treatment group and six patients in the ranitidine treatment group experienced an episode of ulcer-related hemorrhage during follow-up. All patients who experienced ulcer-related bleeding were male. When compared by bleeding, there were no significant differences with respect to ethnicity, alcohol consumption, or tobacco use. H. pylori infection was no longer detectable in 68% of patients after treatment with clarithromycin plus omeprazole, compared with 5% after treatment with omeprazole alone or 4% after treatment with ranitidine alone. CONCLUSION: In a population of duodenal ulcer patients without predisposing risk factors for ulcer bleeding, antibiotic eradication or suppression of H. pylori infection prevented the occurrence of ulcer-related hemorrhage for up to 1 yr after therapy.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: We conducted this study to test whether eradication of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection prevents hemorrhage related to duodenal ulcer. METHODS:Patients with H. pyloriinfection and endoscopically proven duodenal ulcers without ulcer-related hemorrhage were enrolled into four randomized, double-blind, multicenter studies using the same study protocol. They were treated with clarithromycin plus omeprazole (441 patients), omeprazole alone (447 patients), or ranitidine alone (263 patients). Success of H. pylori eradication was evaluated by the 13C-urea breath test 4-6 wk after the last dose of study drug. Follow-up continued at monthly intervals up to 1 yr after the last dose of study drug. RESULTS: Bleeding due to duodenal ulcer was not observed in any patients who received clarithromycin plus omeprazole, whereas five patients in the omeprazole treatment group and six patients in the ranitidine treatment group experienced an episode of ulcer-related hemorrhage during follow-up. All patients who experienced ulcer-related bleeding were male. When compared by bleeding, there were no significant differences with respect to ethnicity, alcohol consumption, or tobacco use. H. pyloriinfection was no longer detectable in 68% of patients after treatment with clarithromycin plus omeprazole, compared with 5% after treatment with omeprazole alone or 4% after treatment with ranitidine alone. CONCLUSION: In a population of duodenal ulcerpatients without predisposing risk factors for ulcer bleeding, antibiotic eradication or suppression of H. pyloriinfection prevented the occurrence of ulcer-related hemorrhage for up to 1 yr after therapy.