Brief Reports
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 21, 2005; 11(23): 3566-3569
Published online Jun 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i23.3566
One-week dual therapy with ranitidine bismuth citrate and clarithromycin for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer
Maria Aparecida Mesquita, Sônia Letícia Silva Lorena, Jazon Romilson Souza Almeida, Ciro Garcia Montes, Fábio Guerrazzi, Luciana T Campos, José Murilo Rubilotta Zeitune
Maria Aparecida Mesquita, Sônia Letícia Silva Lorena, Jazon Romilson Souza Almeida, Ciro Garcia Montes, Fábio Guerrazzi, Luciana T Campos, José Murilo Rubiota Zeitune, Gastroenterology Unit, Medical Clinic Department, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Brazil
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Dr Maria Aparecida Mesquita, Disciplina de Gastroenterologia, Departamento de Clínica Médica, FCM, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, CP 6111, 13081-970, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. mesquita@fcm.unicamp.br
Telephone: +19-37888556 Fax: +19-32894107
Received: May 25, 2004
Revised: May 26, 2004
Accepted: August 12, 2004
Published online: June 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To assess the efficacy and safety of ranitidine bismuth citrate plus clarithromycin given for 1 wk in Brazilian patients with peptic ulcer.

METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with peptic ulcer were randomized in two treatment groups: (1) 1-wk regimen consisting of ranitidine bismuth citrate 400 mg b.i.d. with clarithromycin 500 mg b.i.d. or (2) 2-wk regimen of the same treatment. Eradication of the infection was considered when both the histologic examination and the urease test were negative for the infection 3 mo after treatment.

RESULTS: By intention to treat analysis, Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) was eradicated in 73% and 76% of patients, respectively treated for 1 or 2 wk (P>0.05). By per protocol analysis, the eradication rates were 80% and 83%, respectively, in patients treated for 1 or 2 wk (P>0.05). Nine patients (8.2%) reported minor side effects.

CONCLUSION: One-week therapy with ranitidine bismuth citrate and clarithromycin is safe, well tolerated and effective for treatment of H pylori infection, and appears to be comparable to the 2-wk regimen in terms of efficacy.

Keywords: Helicobacter pylori; Ranitidine bismuth citrate; Clarithromycin; Peptic ulcer