Efficacy of two one-week rabeprazole/levofloxacin-based triple therapies for Helicobacter pylori infection.
Cammarota, G. 1; Cianci, R. 1; Cannizzaro, O. 2; Cuoco, L. 1; Pirozzi, G. 1; Gasbarrini, A. 1; Armuzzi, A. 1; Zocco, M. A. 1; Santarelli, L. 1; Arancio, F. 1; Gasbarrini, G. 1
[Article] Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 14(10):1339-1343, October 2000.

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Background: One-week low-dose proton pump inhibitor-based triple therapies have usually proved to be effective treatments for Helicobacter pylori infection.

Aim: To investigate the eradication efficacy, safety profile and patient compliance of two triple therapies containing a standard dose of rabeprazole and a new fluoroquinolone, levofloxacin.

Methods: One hundred patients referred to us for gastroscopy, who were H. pylori-positive, were consecutively recruited in a prospective, open-label study. The enrolled patients were randomised to receive a seven-day course of rabeprazole 20 mg o.d. plus levofloxacin 500 mg o.d. and either amoxycillin 1 g b.d. (RLA group) or tinidazole 500 mg b.d. (RLT group). Their H. pylori status was assessed by means of histology and rapid urease test at entry, and by 13C-urea breath test 8 weeks after the end of treatment.

Results: All 100 enrolled patients completed the study. Forty-six of 50 patients treated with RLA (both PP and ITT analysis: 92%; 95% CI: 81-98%) and 45 of 50 with RLT (both PP and ITT analysis: 90%: 95% CI: 78-97%), became H. pylori-negative. Slight or mild side-effects occurred in 4 (8%) patients of the RLA group and in 5 (10%) of the RLT group.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the efficacy of two 1-week rabeprazole-based triple therapies including levofloxacin to eradicate H. pylori. These regimens prove to be safe, well-tolerated, and achieved good eradication rates. Levofloxacin may be an effective alternative to clarithromycin in triple therapy regimens.

(C) 2000 Blackwell Science Ltd.