OMEPRAZOLE MODIFIED TREATMENT OF HELICOBACTER-PYLORI INFECTION - IS ROXITHROMYCIN A SUBSTITUTE FOR CLARITHROMYCIN

Thirtyfive consecutive patients (median age: 50 years, 17 men and 18 women) suffering from Helicobacter pylori associated peptic ulcer disease (duodenal ulcer: n=15, gastric ulcer: n=13) or severe functional dyspepsia (n=7) were enrolled in a two-center clinical trial and treated with omeprazole 20 mg bid preprandially and roxithromycin 300 mg bid postprandially over two weeks. After cessation of the study medication, ulcer patients received a full dose H-2-blocker treatment up to the final examination four weeks later. All patients completed the trial without contravening the protocol. Side effects were not recorded. The overall proportion of cure of Helicobacter pylori-infection was 29% (10 out of 35 patients) without statistically significant difference between the two participating centers (center I: 7 out of 20 patients [35%]. center II: 3 out of 15 patients [20%]: p=0.33). We conclude from our results that omeprazole plus roxithromycin is an ineffective treatment schedule with regard to cure of H.pylori-infection in patients with peptic ulcer disease or dyspepsia.