Levofloxacin based regimens for the eradication of Helicobacter pylori

BACKGROUND: A 7 day treatment scheme based on rabeprazole/levofloxacin/amoxycillin or tinidazole achieved an eradication rate over 90%. However, the combination of drugs and duration of treatment for the correct use of levofloxacin in the eradication of are still unclear. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and tolerability of rabeprazole/levofloxacin based dual therapies given for 5, 7 or 10 days with rabeprazole/levofloxacin/amoxycillin triple therapy for 7 days. METHODS: One hundred and sixty patients with infection documented by the C-urea breath test and histology were included in this prospective, open label study. Subjects were randomized in four groups: (1) levofloxacin (500 mg o.d.), amoxycillin (1 g b.d.) and rabeprazole (20 mg o.d.) for 7 days; (2) levofloxacin (500 mg o.d.) and rabeprazole (20 mg o.d.) for 5 days; (3) levofloxacin (500 mg o.d.) and rabeprazole (20 mg o.d.) for 7 days; and (4) levofloxacin (500 mg o.d.) and rabeprazole (20 mg o.d.) for 10 days. Six weeks after the end of therapy status was checked by using the C-urea breath test. RESULTS: All patients completed the therapeutic regimens. The eradication rate was not significantly modified by treatment duration in the dual therapy schemes (5 days: 20/40, 50%; 7 days: 28/40, 70%; 10 days: 26/40, 65%). The eradication rate of the 1 week levofloxacin based triple therapy was significantly higher than that observed using any dual therapies (36/40). No major adverse effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS: A rabeprazole/levofloxacin dual eradication regimen is simple and well tolerated but does not achieve an acceptable eradication rate when compared to a 1 week rabeprazole/levofloxacin/amoxycillin triple therapy. The eradication rate did not increase with a longer regimen.