Eradication of Helicobacter pylori in patients with duodenal ulcer following the short course of treatment with azitromycin and amoxycillin]

The efficacy of short-term treatment with azithromycin in 17 patients with acute doudenal ulcer associated with H. pylori was evaluated. Bioptats of the gastric mucosa taken at the beginning and after one month of treatment were investigated for H. pylori presence by histological, bacteriological methods, by urease test and by PCR. All the patients with positive H. pylori test were treated with Gastrozol (omeperazole, ICN Pharmaceutical) 40 mg per day for 1 week followed by 20 mg per day for 3 weeks, Sumamed (azithromycin, peira) 0.5 g once daily for 3 days and amoxycillin 0.5 mg four times a day for 10 days. Bioptats analysis before treatment revealed H. pylori in 100% for PCR methods, in 94.1% for urease test, in 88.2% for histological test. After the treatment H. pylori was revealed in 12.5% for urease and histological test, in 18.8% for bacteriological test and in 25% for PCR test. Thus the treatment efficacy was 75%. Side effects for short-term azithromycin therapy were shown in 5.9% cases.