Short‐course therapy with amoxycillin–clarithromycin triple therapy for 10 days (ACT‐10) eradicates Helicobacter pylori and heals duodenal ulcer

Background: Whilst the role of Helicobacter pylori eradication in managing duodenal ulcers has been established, consensus regarding the ideal regimen has not been achieved. Methods: Patients with H. pylori-positive active duodenal ulcer were randomly assigned to receive triple therapy with amoxycillin 1000 mg b.d. + clarithromycin 500 mg b.d. + omeprazole 20 mg daily for 10 days (ACT-10) or dual therapy with clarithromycin 500 mg t.d.s. + omeprazole 40 mg daily for 14 days (Dual). No additional acid suppression was provided following eradication therapy. Endoscopy, with biopsy for culture and histology, as well as 13C-urea breath testing (13C-UBT) were performed pre-treatment to assess H. pylori infection. H. pylori eradication was established at 4–6 weeks follow-up with culture (2 antral, 1 corpus biopsies), histology (2 antral biopsies), and 13C-UBT. Ulcer healing by endoscopy and change in clinical symptoms were also assessed at 4–6 weeks. Results: Two hundred and sixty-seven (267) patients were randomized to ACT-10 (n=137) or Dual therapy (n=130). By per-protocol and intention-to-treat analyses, H. pylori eradication at 4–6 weeks follow-up was 91% (115/127) and 88% (120/136), respectively, for ACT-10 patients and 59% (68/115) and 55% (72/130), respectively, for Dual therapy patients (P<0.001 for both analyses). Ulcer healing was high in both treatment groups: ACT-10, 93% (118/127) and 90% (122/136), respectively; and Dual therapy, 91% (104/114) and 85% (111/130), respectively. Pre-treatment resistance to clarithromycin was low (4%, 8/214) as compared to metronidazole resistance which was over 40%. Emergence of resistance to clarithromycin was observed in 2% of patients receiving ACT-10 and in 25% of those receiving Dual therapy. ACT-10 and Dual therapy patients experienced similar rates of drug-related adverse events (33% vs. 32%, respectively) and discontinuation from therapy due to an adverse event (1.5% vs. 5%, respectively). More than 90% of patients were compliant with each prescribed medication. Conclusion: In patients with active duodenal ulcer, a 10-day course of amoxycillin–clarithromycin-based triple therapy without additional acid suppression is highly effective in eradicating H. pylori and healing duodenal ulcer.