Levofloxacin-containing triple and sequential therapy or standard sequential therapy as the first line treatment for Helicobacter pylori eradication in China.

AIMS: To compare the efficacy and the adverse effects of levofloxacin-containing triple therapy, standard sequential therapy, and levofloxacin-containing sequential therapy as first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori eradication.

METHODS: Three hundred and forty-five naive H. pylori-positive patients were randomized to receive levofloxacin-containing 7-day triple therapy (Levo triple, i.e., esomeprazole, 20 mg, twice daily, amoxicillin, 1 g, twice daily, and levofloxacin, 500 mg, once daily for 7 days, n = 114), standard sequential therapy (SST-10, 5-day esomeprazole, 20 mg, twice daily and amoxicillin, 1 g, twice daily followed by 5-day esomeprazole, 20 mg, twice daily, clarithromycin, 500 mg, twice daily and tinidazole, 500 mg, twice daily for 5 days, n = 115) or levofloxacin-containing sequential therapy (Levo-ST-10, 5-day esomeprazole, 20 mg, twice daily and amoxicillin, 1 g, twice daily for 5 days followed by 5-day esomeprazole, 20 mg, twice daily, levofloxacin, 500 mg, once daily and tinidazole, 500 mg, twice daily, n = 116). Eradication was confirmed by a (13) C-urea breath test 4 weeks after completion of treatment.

RESULTS: Intention to treat (ITT) eradication rates were 78.1% (95% CI: 69.4, 85.3%), 78.3% (95% CI: 69.6, 85.4%), and 82.8% (95% CI: 74.6, 89.1%) for Levo triple, SST-10, Levo-ST-10, respectively (p = .599). Per protocol (PP) eradication rates were 80.9% (95% CI: 72.3, 87.8%), 82.6% (95% CI: 74.1, 89.2%), and 86.5% (95% CI: 78.7, 92.2%), respectively, for the three therapies (p = .513). Overall, 3.8% experienced mild to moderate adverse events; the rates were 1.75, 4.35, and 5.17%, respectively, in the three groups (p = .325).

CONCLUSIONS: Standard sequential therapy and 7-day levofloxacin triple therapy produced unacceptably therapeutic efficacy in China. Only levofloxacin-containing sequential therapy achieved borderline acceptable result. None of the regimens tested reliably achieved 90% or greater therapeutic efficacy in China.