Prevention of duodenal ulcer relapse with amoxycillin and omeprazole

Objective: To evaluate, prospectively, whether omeprazole and amoxycillin eradicate Helicobacter pylori and prevent duodenal ulcer relapse. Patients and methods: This prospective multicentre trial included 53 patients. Twenty-nine H. pylori-positive patients were treated with omeprazole for 4 weeks (group A) and the remaining 24 received amoxycillin plus omeprazole for 2 weeks. Eradication of H. pylori was evaluated using the rapid urease test and histological examination. Results: Six months after the end of therapy, H. pylori was eradicated in two out of 23 patients (9%) from group A and 10 out of 21 (48%) from group B. The ulcer relapse rate was 68% (n = 15) for patients from group A and 1 7% (n = 3) for those from group B. Conclusions: Our regimen eradicated H. pylori in half of our patients and is effective in preventing ulcer relapse with few adverse events