Evidence Hub

Levofloxacin-based triple therapy in first-line treatment for Helicobacter pylori eradication

Nista EC, Candelli M, Zocco MA, Cremonini F, Ojetti V, Finizio R, Spada C, Cammarota G et al.

The American journal of gastroenterology, 2006

300 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The standard first-line therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication are based on clarithromycin and amoxicillin or metronidazole. Recent studies suggested levofloxacin as an alternative option for both first-and second-line H. pylori eradication treatment.

AIMS: To compare efficacy and tolerability of two different 7-day standard triple therapies versus 7-day levofloxacin-based triple therapy in first-line treatment for H. pylori infection.

METHODS: Three hundred consecutive H. pylori positive patients were randomized to receive: clarithromycin, amoxicillin, esomeprazole (Group A: N = 100); clarithromycin, metronidazole, esomeprazole (Group B: N = 100); or clarithromycin, levofloxacin, esomeprazole (Group C: N = 100). H. pylori status was rechecked by (13)C urea breath test 6 wk after the end of therapy.

RESULTS: Sixteen out of 300 patients discontinued treatment because of the occurrence of side effects (Group A, 5; Group B, 7; Group C, 4). The eradication rates in intention to treat (ITT) and per protocol (PP) analyses were: Group A, 75% and 79%; Group B, 72% and 77.4%; and Group C, 87% and 90.6%. The eradication rate achieved with levofloxacin-based triple therapy was significantly higher than that with standard therapies in either ITT (87%vs 75%, p <0.05; 87%vs 72%, p <0.01;) or PP analysis (90.6%vs 79%, p <0.05; 90.6 vs 77.4, p <0.05). No difference was found between standard triple therapies. The incidence of side effects was similar among groups.…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design. Reported size: 300 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

Read the paper

Related studies

Go deeper in Evidence Hub

Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.

Open this study Sign up free