Sequential and Concomitant Therapy With Four Drugs Is Equally Effective for Eradication of H pylori Infection

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Sequential therapy with a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and amoxicillin followed by a PPI, clarithromycin, and an imidazole agent reportedly have a better rare of curing Helicobacter pylori infection than PPI, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin triple therapy. The concomitant administration of these 4 drugs (concomitant therapy) is also an effective treatment strategy. We compared the efficacies of sequential and concomitant therapy and analyzed the effects of antibiotic resistance in patients with H pylori infection. METHODS: In a randomized trial of 232 H pylori-infected patients from 3 hospitals in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, patients were given 10 days of sequential (n = 115) or concomitant (n = 117) therapy. H pylori status was confirmed by endoscopy or urea breath test. RESULTS: Intention-to-treat analysis demonstrated similar eradication rates for sequential (92.3%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 87.5%-97.1%) and concomitant therapy (93.0%; 95% Cl, 88.3%-97.7%)(P = .83). Per-protocol eradication results were similar for sequential (93.1%; 95% Cl, 90.7%-95.5%) and concomitant therapy (93.0%; 95% Cl, 88.3%-97.7%) (P = .99). Univariare analysis showed that compliance and resistance to clarithromycin were independent determinants of eradication. Dual resistance did not influence the level of eradication in the concomitant group, but significantly affected that of the sequential therapy group. Clarithromycin resistance was less frequent than expected. CONCLUSIONS: Sequential or concomitant therapy with a PPI, amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and an imidazole agent are equally effective and safe for eradication of H pylori infection. Resistance to clarithromycin, compliance, and adverse events reduced the level of eradication. Concomitant therapy may be more suitable for patients with dual resistance to antibiotics.