Trends in the eradication rates of Helicobacter pylori infection for eleven years

AIM:To evaluate the trends in the eradication rate of Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori) over the past 11 years in a single center.METHODS:This retrospective study covered the period from January 2000 to December 2010.We evaluated 5746 patients diagnosed with gastric ulcers(GU),duodenal ulcers(DU),GU + DU,or nonpeptic ulcers associated with an H.pylori infection.We treated them annually with the 2 wk standard first-line triple regimen,proton pump inhibitor(PPI) + amoxicilin + clarithromycin(PAC;PPI,clarithromycin 500 mg,and amoxicillin 1 g,all twice a day).The follow-up test was performed at least 4 wk after the completion of the 2 wk standard H.pylori eradication using the PAC regimen.We also assessed the eradication rates of 1 wk second-line therapy with a quadruple standard regimen(PPI b.i.d.,tripotassium dicitrate bismuthate 300 mg q.i.d.,metronidazole 500 mg t.i.d.,and tetracycline 500 mg q.i.d.) after the failure of the first-line therapy.Statistical analysis was performed with 95%CI for the differences in the annual eradication rates.RESULTS:A total of 5746 patients [2333 males(58.8%),1636 females(41.2%);mean age of males vs females 51.31 ± 13.1 years vs 52.76 ± 13.6 years,P < 0.05,total mean age 51.9 ± 13.3 years(mean ± SD)] were investigated.Among these patients,1674 patients were excluded:35 patients refused treatment;18 patients ceased H.pylori eradication due to side effects;1211 patients had inappropriate indications for H.pylori eradication,having undergone stomach cancer operation or chemotherapy;and 410 patients did not undergo the follow-up.We also excluded 103 patients who wanted to stop eradication treatment after only 1 wk due to poor compliance or the side effects mentioned above.Finally,we evaluated the annual eradication success rates in a total of 3969 patients who received 2 wk first-line PAC therapy.The endoscopic and clinical findings in patients who received the 2 wk PAC were as follows:gastric ulcer in 855(21.5%);duodenal ulcer in 878(22.1%);gastric and duodenal ulcer in 124(3.1%),erosive,atrophic gastritis and functional dyspepsia in 2055(51.8%);and other findings(e.g.,MALToma,patients who wanted to receive the therapy even though they had no abnormal endoscopic finding) in 57(0.5%).The overall eradication rate of the 2 wk standard firstline triple regimen was 86.5%.The annual eradication rates from 2000 to 2010 were 86.7%,85.4%,86.5%,83.3%,89.9%,90.5%,88.4%,84.5%,89.1%,85.8%,and 88.3%,sequentially(P = 0.06).No definite evidence of a significant change in the eradication rate was seen during the past eleven years.The eradication rates of second-line therapy were 88.9%,82.4%,85%,83.9%,77.3%,85.7%,84.4%,87.3%,83.3%,88.9%,and 84%(P = 0.77).The overall eradication rate of 1 wk quadruple second-line therapy was 84.7%.There was no significant difference in the eradication rate according to the H.pylori associated diseases.CONCLUSION:This study showed that there was no trend change in the H.pylori eradication rate over the most recent 11 years in our institution.