Reinfection Rate and Clinical Manifestation of Helicobacter pylori-positive Peptic Ulcer Disease after Triple Therapy Containing Clarithromycin

Lee, Jong Yeul; Kim, Won; Gwak, Geum Youn; Park, Su Cheol; Ye, Byong Duk; Lee, Sang Hyub; Kim, Sang Gyun; Kim, Joo Sung; Jung, Hyun Chae; Song, In Sung

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Since the exact data on the reinfection rate of Helicobacter pylori are sparse, this study was performed to determine the reinfection rate and clinical manifestation of the patients with H. pylori-positive peptic ulcer disease after successful eradication by triple therapy containing clarithromycin.
METHODS
One hundred forty-one patients with H. pylori-positive peptic ulcer disease received triple therapy regimen. Four weeks after completion of medication, biopsy and CLO tests were performed to detect H. pylori. The H. pylori-negative patients were followed up every six month. The patients who were H. pylori-positive during the follow-up period received quadruple therapy.
RESULTS
After triple therapy, eradication was achieved in 125 patients (88.7%). Ninety-eight patients of the eradicated group were followed up. Thirty-one patients were proved to be H. pylori-positive. The recrudescence rate was 18.3% and the reinfection rate was 9.5% per year. Thirty patients who were not eradicated or reinfected received quadruple therapy. The eradication rate of quadruple therapy was 82.6% (19/23).
CONCLUSIONS
In patients with H. pylori-positive peptic ulcer disease, the annual reinfection rate following successful eradication is 9.5% per year in Korea. The quadruple therapy should be considered as retreatment regimen because the efficacy is more than 80%.