Arrest of chronic acid suppressant drug use after successful Helicobacter pylori eradication in patients with peptic ulcer disease: a six-month follow-up study

Background: It remains controversial whether successful H. pylori eradication leads to relief of dyspepsia and the subsequent arrest or tapering of acid-suppressant drug therapy, or to an aggravation of acid-related dyspepsia requiring more acid-suppressant drug intake. Aim: To evaluate prospectively the effect of H. pylori eradication on the requirement of acid-suppressant drug or antacids and the evolution of dyspeptic symptoms in chronic acid-suppressant drug users with peptic ulcer disease. Materials and methods: The use of acid-suppressant drugs, rescue antacids and predominant symptoms were recorded prospectively during 24 weeks after H. pylori eradication therapy in 75 peptic ulcer disease patients. Results: In 71 patients with complete follow-up, ulcers were healed at follow-up endoscopy and H. pylori was successfully eradicated. After 6 months, 93% (66 out of 71) of chronic acid-suppressant drug users had stopped acid-suppressant drug intake. The mean daily acid-suppressant drug dosage per patient decreased from 1.72 at entry to 0.03 units acid-suppressant drug (98%; P < 0.0001) during follow-up. The mean number of antacid tablets/day/patient was 0.26 during follow-up for the relief of mild inter-current dyspeptic symptoms. Medication use was not different in peptic ulcer disease patients with or without gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at baseline. The prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease decreased from 42% before to 35% after H. pylori eradication (N.S.). Conclusion: Successful H. pylori eradication in peptic ulcer disease patients almost completely eliminates the need for acid-suppressant drug regardless of the presence or absence of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease at entry.