Second-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori infection based on moxifloxacin triple therapy: a randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift Vol. 121; no. 1-2; pp. 47 - 52
• Main Authors: Bago, Josip, Pevec, Branko, Tomić, Monika, Marušić, Marinko, Bakula, Vinko, Bago, Petra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vienna Springer Vienna 2009
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-Infective Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Infective Agents - therapeutic use; Anti-Ulcer Agents - adverse effects; Anti-Ulcer Agents - therapeutic use; Aza Compounds - adverse effects; Aza Compounds - therapeutic use; Breath Tests; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Therapy, Combination; Endocrinology; Female; Fluoroquinolones; Gastritis - drug therapy; Gastroenterology; Helicobacter Infections - drug therapy; Helicobacter pylori - drug effects; Humans; Internal Medicine; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metronidazole - adverse effects; Metronidazole - therapeutic use; Middle Aged; Omeprazole - adverse effects; Omeprazole - therapeutic use; Organometallic Compounds - adverse effects; Organometallic Compounds - therapeutic use; Original Article; Pneumology/Respiratory System; Proton Pump Inhibitors; Quinolines - adverse effects; Quinolines - therapeutic use; Recurrence; Retreatment; Single-Blind Method; Tetracycline - adverse effects; Tetracycline - therapeutic use; Young Adult; Moxifloxacin; Triple therapy; Second-line therapy; Quadruple therapy
• ISSN: 0043-5325; 1613-7671
• DOI: 10.1007/s00508-008-1122-2

Summary
BACKGROUND: In eradication of
Helicobacter pylori
infection, standard quadruple second-line therapy consisting of proton pump inhibitor (PPI), bismuth, metronidazole and tetracycline often fails and shows poor patient compliance. The aim of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of moxifloxacin-based triple therapy as an alternative second-line protocol. METHODS: A total of 160 patients, in whom the initial standard PPI triple therapy had failed to eradicate
H. pylori
infection, were included in the study. The initial
H. pylori
status was assessed using the
13
C-urea breath test. Patients were randomized to one of the following 7-day treatment regimens: (1) OMM: omeprazole 20 mg twice a day, moxifloxacin 400 mg/day, metronidazole 500 mg three times a day; and (2) OBMT: omeprazole 20 mg twice a day, colloidal bismuth subcitrate 120 mg four times a day, metronidazole 500 mg three times a day, tetracycline 500 mg four times a day. Patient compliance and adverse events were evaluated one week after completion of therapy.
H. pylori
status was re-assessed with the
13
C-urea breath test six weeks after the end of therapy. RESULTS: The eradication rates were 73.2% (60/82) and 78.9% (60/76) with moxifloxacin-based triple therapy, and 53.8% (42/78) and 64.6% (42/65) with bismuth-based quadruple therapy, by intention-to-treat (
p
= 0.018) and per-protocol (
p
= 0.088) analyses, respectively. Adverse events/intolerability were described in 12/82 patients in the OMM group and 18/78 patients in the OBMT group. Compliance with treatment was 92.7% in the OMM group and 83.3% in the OBMT group. CONCLUSION: Moxifloxacin-based triple therapy is a highly effective second-line eradication treatment in
H. pylori
infection. Because of its high levels of safety and tolerability, this protocol represents an adequate alternative to the standard bismuth-based quadruple therapy.