Furazolidone-based triple and quadruple eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori infection

Table 1 The age and gender of the four groups of patients n (%)

		Group 1 (n = 180)	Group 2 (n = 180)	Group 3 (n = 180)	Group 4 (n = 180)	P value
Age (yr)	mean ± SD	41.4 ± 12.6	39.6 ± 13.6	41.4 ± 12.3	41.4 ± 13.5	0.470
Gender	Male	105 (58)	118 (66)	102 (57)	107 (58)	0.337
	Female	75 (42)	62 (34)	78 (43)	73 (42)

Patients in Group 1 and Group 3 received rabeprazole (10 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg) and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 7 and 10 d, respectively and patients in Group 2 and Group 4 received rabeprazole (10 mg), bismuth (220 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg) and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 7 and 10 d, respectively.

Table 2 Eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection in the different treatment groups in the intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses n (%)

Efficacy	Group 1 (n = 180)	Group 2 (n = 180)	Group 3 (n = 180)	Group 4 (n = 180)	χ2	P value
Eradication success	134 (74.4)	149 (82.8)	142 (78.9)	155 (86.1)
Eradication failure	31 (17.2)	18 (10.0)	24 (13.3)	13 (7.2)
Cases dropped	15 (8.3)	13 (7.2)	14 (7.8)	12 (6.7)
Eradication rate
ITT (95%CI)	74.4% (68.0-80.8)	82.8% (77.3-88.3)	78.9% (72.9-84.9)	86.1%a (81.0-91.2)	8.725	0.033
PP (95%CI)	81.2% (75.2-87.2)	89.2% (84.5-93.9)	85.5% (80.1-90.9)	92.3%a (88.3-96.3)	10.094	0.018

^aP < 0.05 vs Group 1. Patients in Group 1 and Group 3 received rabeprazole (10 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg) and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 7 and 10 d, respectively and patients in Group 2 and Group 4 received rabeprazole (10 mg), bismuth (220 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg) and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 7 and 10 d, respectively. ITT: Intention-to-treat; PP: Per protocol.

Table 3 Adverse events in the patients of the four groups n (%)

Adverse events	Group 1 (n = 180)	Group 2 (n = 180)	Group 3 (n = 180)	Group 4 (n = 180)
Dizziness	5 (2.8)	4 (2.2)	6 (3.3)	7 (3.9)
Vomiting	3 (1.7)	4 (2.2)	4 (2.2)	3 (1.7)
Diarrhea	1 (0.6)	4 (2.2)	2 (1.1)	3 (1.7)
Nausea	3 (1.7)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.6)
Skin rash and itchy skin	1 (0.6)	1 (0.6)	0 (0)	2 (1.1)
Asthenia	2 (1.1)	3 (1.7)	3 (1.7)	1 (0.6)
Total	15 (8.3)	16 (8.9)	15 (8.3)	17 (9.4)

Patients in Group 1 and Group 3 received rabeprazole (10 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg) and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 7 and 10 d, respectively and patients in Group 2 and Group 4 received rabeprazole (10 mg), bismuth (220 mg), amoxicillin (1000 mg) and furazolidone (100 mg) twice daily for 7 and 10 d, respectively. Treatment was discontinued for 18 patients who experienced vomiting, skin rash and itchy skin.