Density of Helicobacter pylori may affect the efficacy of eradication therapy and ulcer healing in patients with active duodenal ulcers

Table 1 Clinical characteristics of patients

	H. pylori density
	Mild(n = 36)	Moderate(n = 35)	Marked(n = 33)
Sex (male/female)	23/13	25/10	23/10
Age (years, Mean ± S.D.)	45.6 ± 10.3	44.1 ± 12.7	47.2 ± 13.4
Smoking(yes/no)	18/18	20/15	18/15
Ulcer size
< 1 cm	32	32	30
1-2 cm	4	2	3
> 2 cm	0	1	0
Ulcer number
One	34	32	30
Two	2	3	3
Drop outs	4	2	6

Table 2 Eradication rates and the density of H. pylori

	Eradication rates	95%CI	P value
Intention-to-treat
H. pylori density
Mild	32/36 (88.9%)	73.0%-96.4%
Moderate	33/35 (94.3%)	79.5%-99.0%
Marked	23/33 (69.7%)	51.1%-83.8%
Total	88/104 (84.6%)	75.9%-90.7%	0.013a
Per protocol
H. pylori density
Mild	32/32 (100.0%)	86.7%-100.0%
Moderate	33/33 (100.0%)	87.2%-100.0%
Marked	23/27 (85.2%)	65.4%-95.2%
Total	88/92 (95.7%)	88.6%-98.6%	0.006b

Notes:

^aBased on χ² test;

^bBased on Fisher's exact test.

Table 3 Healing rates of duodenal ulcer and the density of H. pylori

	Healing rates	95%CI	P value
Intention-to-treat
H. pylori density
Mild	32/36 (88.9%)	73.0%-96.4%
Moderate	33/35 (94.3%)	79.5%-99.0%
Marked	21/33 (63.6%)	45.1%-79.0%
Total	86/104 (82.7%)	73.8%-89.2%	0.002a
Per Protocol
H. pylori density
Mild	32/32 (100.0%)	86.7%-100.0%
Moderate	33/33 (100.0%)	87.2%-100.0%
Marked	21/27 (77.8%)	57.3%-90.6%
Total	86/92 (93.5%)	85.8%-97.3%	< 0.001b

Notes:

^aBased on χ² test;

^bBased on Fisher's exact test.

Table 4 Relationship between H. pylori eradication and duodenal ulcer healing

	H. pylori
	Eradicated (n = 88)	Not eradicated (n = 4)
Duodenal ulcer
Healed	86 (97.7%)a	0 (0.0%)
Not healed	2 (2.3%)	4 (100.0%)

^aP < 0.001 vs not eradicated group, based on Fisher's exact test.