H Pylori
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2004. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 1, 2004; 10(7): 991-994
Published online Apr 1, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i7.991
Pre-treatment urea breath test results predict the efficacy of Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy in patients with active duodenal ulcers
Yung-Chih Lai, Jyh-Chin Yang, Shih-Hung Huang
Yung-Chih Lai, Department of Internal Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Jyh-Chin Yang, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Shih-Hung Huang, Department of Pathology, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Yung-Chih Lai M.D. Department of Internal Medicine, Cathay General Hospital, 280 Jen-Ai Road, Section 4, Taipei 106, Taiwan, China. yungchihlai@hotmail.com
Telephone: +886-2-27082121 Ext. 3120 Fax: +886-2-27074949
Received: October 15, 2003
Revised: November 10, 2003
Accepted: December 1, 2003
Published online: April 1, 2004
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the association of pre-treatment 13C-urea breath test (UBT) results with H pylori density and efficacy of eradication therapy in patients with active duodenal ulcers.

METHODS: One hundred and seventeen consecutive outpatients with active duodenal ulcer and H pylori infection were recruited. H pylori density was histologically graded according to the Sydney system. Each patient received lansoprazole (30 mg b.i.d.), clarithromycin (500 mg b.i.d.) and amoxicillin (1 g b.i.d.) for 1 week. According to pre-treatment UBT values, patients were allocated into low ( < 16‰), intermediate (16‰-35‰), and high ( > 35‰) UBT groups.

RESULTS: A significant correlation was found between pre-treatment UBT results and H pylori density (P < 0.001). H pylori eradication rates were 94.9%, 94.4% and 81.6% in the low, intermediate and high UBT groups, respectively (per protocol analysis, P = 0.11). When patients were assigned into two groups (UBT results ≤ 35‰ and > 35‰), the eradication rates were 94.7% and 81.6%, respectively (P = 0.04).

CONCLUSION: The intragastric bacterial load of H pylori can be evaluated by UBT, and high pre-treatment UBT results can predict an adverse outcome of eradication therapy.

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